


Ealdor Manor Trilogy Part 2

by Maarten



Series: Ealdor Manor Trilogy [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Christmas, F/F, F/M, Killing, M/M, Multi, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:21:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 29,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21536629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maarten/pseuds/Maarten
Summary: After all that had happened, now was the time for love and friendship. A time of peace and joy. A time of getting on with their lives, of letting go, making plans and having new dreams. A time of myth and legend. Merlin and Arthur savoured their love, as many of their friends did too. After all, by killing Morgause evil was banished.Albeit forever? Time will tell. In the meantime, life went on, festive and intense. Their bonds grew tight and they enjoyed every moment of their days together as a family of friends. The world lay at their feet. Together they could handle anything. Anything? Could evil ever be banished? Is there a limit at how much Merlin can give?
Relationships: Alice/Gaius (Merlin), Balinor/Hunith (Merlin), Cenred/Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Elena/Freya (Merlin), Gwaine/Morgana (Merlin), Gwen/Lancelot (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Mordred/Percival (Merlin)
Series: Ealdor Manor Trilogy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1613419
Kudos: 7





	1. Introductory

After months of negotiating, filling in endless papers and uncountable visits to the Youth Care office, they finally put their last signatures on the last forms.

At the same time, under the surprising effective leadership of Gwaine, their friends redecorated one of Merlin's spare rooms. The result of long cosy autumn evenings around the fire with their friends. Of endless discussions about colours and furniture, cuddly toys and carpets.

Choices and decisions.

The ladies shopped for sheets, duvets, towels and clothes. The boys invented handmade furniture. They never were happier.

Finally, everything was settled. With big smiles on their faces and both a big cuddly bear in their arms, they walked through the hallways of Ealdor Manor.

Their door was open.

Curled up at the bed, the twins were looking at one of their favourite picture books of Winnie the Pooh.

Libraries donated lots of books for the victims.

Their eyes widened by the look of the huge bears, their smiles broadened when they discovered Merlin and Arthur behind them.

The first few minutes it was shouting and hugging and even some tears, although everyone tried to cover that up. When finally they were leaning in on the new bears, maybe their first gift ever, Merlin and Arthur sat on the ridge of the bed.

"We have something to tell you", Arthur started.

Joan and Tommy startled. Their traumas were still present, despite the progress they made in therapy with Gwaine and the horses. Everything new, even something as little as a change in the daily routine, was considered a life threat. Their childhood had been pure horror and the last months in detention by Uther had worsened it. Luckily they were young and Merlin and his staff, including Arthur, were constantly busy with their bonding and basic trust.

"It is good news", Merlin added, " you can trust us."

They both squinted then looked at each other, grabbed each other's hand and nodded firmly.

Brave, Merlin thought, and they are telepathically gifted. He stored that new information for later.

"You are going to live with us, with Merlin and me."

Their eyes widened, they slowly shook their heads in disbelief.

"So, basically, you now have two dads", Merlin added wittily.

"Really, but really?" Tommy shouted and bounced on his bed.

"So, it's true?"

"What is true, sweety?"

She looked at Merlin and said: "Gwennie said I should keep dreaming. She said it every day and now it is true." She sobbed in his arms, for joy, for all that had happened.

"So, when are we going?"

Tommy jumped off the bed and grabbed Arthur's arm.

"Now", Arthur smiled and put the toddler on his shoulders. He shrieked for joy.

Merlin and Joan followed them at a quieter pace. They both carried a big bear and even bigger smiles, walking through the park. Joan held his hand and babbled about all the lovely things they were going to do as a family.

One night, shortly after his recovery, Merlin had found Arthur sitting between Joan and Tommy who fell asleep in his arms while he was reading a story to them. They softly woke them and put them each in their bed and then said goodbye. They had to do it like this, it was still all about gaining trust again. On the way home, arm in arm in the summer night, Arthur said; "Can't you and I give them a home?" Merlin jumped. "Yes. Yes. I would love that." He kissed him on his mouth, hugged him and patted him on his shoulder.

That's how the long and tiresome adoption had begun.

And now their kids slept in their new home, in their own bedroom. For the first time, they clamped to their big cuddly bears instead of each other. Merlin's cat slept at Joan's feet. Little lamps softly lit the walls, the door was left open.

They sat before the fire. November ended cold. Arthur was reading about parenting, Merlin read about bonding for foster kids. But at every sound coming from the children's bedroom, they raised and ran to the door.

Their life and routine changed drastically. They learned children make noises while they sleep and dream. Eventually, they would grow into parenting but that first night they were too happy when the toddlers, hand in hand stood before them and said; "We can't find the bathroom."

Choosing a school for them had been difficult since they didn't want to put the twins far away. One day, Leon offered to home-school them in the mornings, at his little cosy office at the garden. He had so much patience and Joan and Tommy loved him from the first day. So every morning when Merlin walked to the Manor he dropped them at Leon. He taught them letters and numbers in no time, using all of nature around them. The twins spent most of their learning time outside. Learning meant to experience, to Leon. All of his friends offered to help him in one way or another to educate the twins, with their own specialities. Together they had more knowledge than every faraway school.

Summer had passed, Autumn's end already gave harbingers of Winter.

The weeks after Arthur's rescue had been arduous on all of them.

Police interrogated them all. The paparazzi kept trying to get their story out. Things changed slowly when Cenred led the government to the horrible truth. Uther's organisation was disabled in days only and the press was no longer interested in Ealdor Manor. 'Victims are taken care off', was all they wrote about them. Laws were changed back to normal again, members of parliament accused of neglecting and regulations in the government tightened.

When Arthur woke, it wasn't all happiness. First, he couldn't believe he was gone for over two weeks. Then, his body was weakened and needed time to heal. The pain made him grumpy. When he finally got his memory back and his body got stronger, he became his old shining self again.

One night, he said; "I can't believe the risks you took, only to save me."

They were seated on the couch in front of the burning heard. Outside the first storm of November raged.

"I would do anything, really anything to rescue you. I simply can't live without you."

"I know", Arthur said, "I meant to say; Thank you."

He kissed him slowly and intense.

"So, this is love? The hurt we feel when we're not around each other?"

Merlin nodded and smiled. "Yep, the bittersweet pain called love."

Of course, Arthur was so happy to see his brother Mordred again, they both cried and hugged for a long time. They sat for hours, while Mordred talked and Arthur just listened to his horror stories. In a way, for both, these conversations were healing.

It took him a day to understand his little brother was in love with his friend Parceval.

It took him some more days to accept it.

Merlin did nothing to intervene, not between family. Arthur was perfectly capable of choosing his own battles.

To Arthur, it still was his little brother, after all. He was used to taking care of him all of his life. But he forgot, Mordred being 19, was already a young man, capable of making his own decisions.

One night, after they had dinner with the four of them he tried to explain. They were sitting outside in the Indian summer evening. He apologised for being detached and blunt to them.

"I didn't have a problem with you being gay. Of course not. How could I? But you will always be my little brother. I think I acted like a parent, as I am your only family now. Do you know what I mean? Like no one is good enough for you, that old fashioned rubbish."

Mordred only smiled, curled up on Percy's lap. "I know and I love you too."

"And I am more than happy to have you in the family, Perceval."

Perceval nodded calmly. "I might have reacted the same, only I think I might have thrown him out, _before_ the talking." He smiled his own big smile.

The victims in the Manor still needed their daily care.

Merlin, Gaius and Elyan worked closely together to get it all done. A 24-hours staff of well-trained nurses was managed by Parceval and Lance. Gwen and Arthur took care of a daily program for them, besides comforting the victims, reading to them, walk with them or play soccer at the Park. Few of them were reunited with their families, some were on the list for foster parents.

Morgana and Arthur and Mordred sold the company of their father and all the properties they inherited. Together with Merlin's fortune, they build a trust fund for the victims in the Manor and for free psychiatric help in the region. For all their friends when they might need it. Arthur administered it, next to the hours he spent with the victims. To his own surprise, he was quite good at both.

Morgana learned to work with horses from Gwaine and she was a natural. Soon they both worked full-time with the victims and their families, while Merlin did the one on one sessions. Their relationship was strong and steady. So they bought the farm where Gwaine worked, close to Manor Park, together with the land around it. After some permits, the land and the house were added to the Manor Estate.

Morgana didn't tell anyone she had dreams about burning their house.

Gwen and Lance got permission to build a small farmhouse at the edges of the estate, behind the forest. In that way, the trust fund would be able to buy the farmland next to the estate and now they all were dreaming of chickens and pigs and cows.

Only Arthur dreamt of herding sheep.

One of the goals of the trust fund, but more specific Merlin's, was to expand the manor, to claim the area around it, piece by piece and partly giving it back to nature. So the deer and other animals got a wider uninterrupted land as their territory. And maybe inviting other animals like wolves.

Elyan became caretaker of the Manor and took Merlin's unused wing to live in.

Freya and Elena took Gwains apartment.

Hunith sold her house and moved into Elyan's apartment. She wanted to be close to her sons and her grandchildren.

Happy changes and family life, love and friendship, making dreams come true.

Merlin planned to extend the Manor with a big closed veranda, for meetings, parties and dinners. Cenred retired from MI5 _and_ still alive, helped him with the plan and recruited construction workers to build it.

He was one of the many uncles to the twins and became their friend. To Merlin and Arthur, he felt like family and he walked in almost every day. Tommy and Joan learned from him to defend themselves without using a weapon.

He also helped Leon with the garden and repaired things in and around the Manor. Several times a week Cenred instructed small groups of his friends in the use of weapons. Not only guns and knives but also sword fighting and bow and arrow. He had a nice collection of old weaponry and especially the boys loved it. He taught them the art of fighting with your body and mind, endurance. How to cope with pain and still concentrate.

Even Merlin and Iseldir participated in their daily routine of Tai Chi in the park, no matter the weather.

Ealdor Manor became the buzzing centre of inspiration and activity.

In between the work and the plans they made a habit of making special dinners together. Even when the winter started they held them outside. Sometimes with huge campfires and blankets. The twin loved being part of such a big caring family of friends for the first time in their lives. Almost every time, after dinner, with hot coffee and chocolate, Merlin told them stories of old times, of knights and castles, fairies, druids and wizards. From his memory, by heart, from his fantasy and of course with a little help of his magic. Since the stories came from their somehow shared memories, his friends also listened closely and enjoyed it. He lived those stories while telling them, a spectacle was guaranteed.

Merlin was a gifted storyteller.

In their spare time, the boys were building a spacious outside kitchen with an old fashioned stove, running on fire, a grill, a bbq and a real sink with a big working space. Outside it looked like an old wooden house, perfect for Christmas. The walls could easily be lowered in the summertime. The first thing they installed was a huge fridge. "Boys need their beer cold", Gwaine explained smiling, "even in wintertime."

For Christmas, they were already planning a big dinner at the new veranda of the Manor, together with the victims and their real or foster families.

That was the state at Ealdor Manor, mid-December when the story continues.


	2. Festive preparations

Most of the time, each and everyone was busy inside or around Ealdor Manor. Huge fresh Christmas trees were brought in by Leon in large pots. He wanted to plant them back later in the forest. They had to be decorated. Scents of pine and holly floated through the hallways. Within days, green, red and gold were shining from everywhere. Christmas lights were around every window. A huge Christmas tree in the park was also decorated with countless lights, a beacon of light in the dark days before Christmas.

To the astonishment of his siblings, Arthur, who never really celebrated Christmas was one of the most enthusiastic decorators of them all. Together with Lance. From time to time they both looked mischievous, whispering and laughing, like two schoolboys planning something secret.

Iseldir, more a resident than a patient lately, carved cute little figures out of wood and made a stable close to the heard. He had a dark cloak over his clothes now and called himself a druid. Joan and Tommy spend hours helping him. After endless tries, they produced the little baby Jesus, the most important one for the stable, as Iseldir told them.

One winter night, Merlin and Arthur were having dinner with some of their friends (Morgana, Gwaine. Mordred and Parceval and Hunith) when suddenly the cat hissed and ran away with a thick tail. 

Joan and Tommy came out of their room, screaming. "There's a boy in our room", Joan sobbed.

Tommy frowned. "Didn't you see him?"

"No one came in", Merlin said. With a sudden shiver, he added; "at least not through the door".

He and Mordred raised together.

Mordred was the first and froze at the door. He gasped and his skin lost all colour.

"What", Merlin shouted right behind him.

In the middle of the room stood a hooded kid, maybe 10 years old.

Frail and fragile.

His eyes were the shiniest darkest green in a pale face.

Both Merlin and Mordred touched their powers, just in case.

Merlin sensed the magic of an unknown kind, not of this world. Not evil, not bad, just out of this world. And, strangely, not matching his.

"Let us not fight, please?", the boy said with a husky, sort of shrouded but tuneful voice. It's timbre to old for his body.

"What are you doing here?"

Jaws and fists clenched, Mordred spat his words out.

"You recognise me?"

He tilted his head and smiled, both angelic and devilish.

Merlin grabbed Mordred at his arm. "You know this kid?"

Mordred slowly turned to him. An expression of utter astonishment on his face. "It's me", he whispered.

Merlin took a better look. He had to admit he saw some of the features of a younger Mordred.

He closed the door of the bedroom behind him.

"Merlin? Everything alright?"

They didn't answer Arthur's question.

"What are you doing here?"

The boy moved like he wasn't walking. His cold hand touched Merlin's face and then he bowed, saying; "Emrys. The honour."

When he raised, he asked; "Why do you need me here?"

"I don't", Merlin replied, "at least, I'm not aware of it."

"Strange. I can only be here when I'm needed." He turned to Mordred, who stepped back.

"Sure you don't need help with some shadows of the past?" He laughed. It tinkled in the air around them.

"Now, how was your Christmas?"

He stood between them.

"Christmas is still a fortnight away", Merlin said with raised eyebrows.

The boy froze.

He sighed.

"Time is just a concept unless you are at the wrong place at the wrong time. Please forgive me for disturbing you. I have to go now before I might change the future."

He vanished without another word.

"What on earth was he doing here?"

"Beats me", Merlin said.

They faked a confident smile and went back to the dinner table.

Joan peeked from Morgana's lap and Tommy dozed in Arthur's arms.

"In our family, we have magicians, wizards, you know?"

The twin nodded, listening closely to Merlin.

"So sometimes magical things happen."

They frowned.

Merlin closed his hands. He asked them to blow softly on his fingers. They did.

He released a blue butterfly who flew to Tommy's hand and rested there. "You see, sometimes, magical things happen."

They smiled and agreed.

"The boy you saw, was magical and here to help. That's all. He's gone now. If you ever see him again, remember he only wants to help you."

Joan and Tommy relaxed and sat back into the strong arms of Arthur.

Merlin did use just a tiny bit of his magic to convince them and he made them sleepy at the same time. They both yawned within seconds and slept before they were brought back into their room. 

The next morning, on their way to the Manor, they were just acting like normal kids with no side-effects of the visit of the hooded boy. 

Merlin was still puzzled why the boy had appeared.

Iseldir met them on his daily walk. "Could we have a word one of these days?" He asked Merlin with his typical modesty.

"Sure. Why not now?"

Arthur walked on with the happy chatting children and Merlin accompanied Iseldir behind them.

"I'm grateful for your offer to rent me the apartment", he started.

Merin knew from his sessions with him in the past, to be patient with Iseldir. so he waited and they just walked a while.

"Last month I was at a gathering of Druids, from all over the country."

He stopped walking and locked eyes with Merlin.

"I wondered if I could ask them to live here."

Merlin stared in the kindest grey eyes he had ever seen.

"At the Ealdor Estate?"

Iseldir nodded.

"Why?"

"Because we wanted to protect you as we have always done. And as you know, from what happened last night, there is an urgent need for it."

Did he know? His memories of Camelot gave him visions of people in cloaks, living in the forests, banished by Uther.

"How?"

"We see all the things concerning your welfare. We would love to live in the forest between the Estate and Ealdor. We could build tree houses."

Merlin liked the idea. Giving a home to the druids, compensate for their past.

"Agreed", he smiled, "on the condition that we are able to owe the area."

He put an arm around Iseldir. "I'd love to learn from your people and your magic. I love your rituals. And you and Gaius could work together with your healing methods. I don't think we need your protection, right now, but you'll never know."

The man almost glowed for joy and gratefulness.

Slowly, the first snowflakes started to fall, adding magic to the holiday season.

The outside kitchen was ready and Hunith immediately occupated it as Chief Christmas dinner. She bossed them all around, even Gwaine, peeling potatoes with some of the boys. Outside of course. Every spare minute was used to do some cutting, stirring or cooking.

Morgana found herself baking muffins in Merlin's oven with strict handwritten orders how to.

Gwen and Lance drove several times to gather an endless supply of food.

Even Merlin was roasting loads of chestnuts on an open fire with the kids.

Gaius and Alice made punch, one for the kids and one for the adults. They prepared it in his cosy working room. The scent of his potions and herbs mixed with that of the hot wine, cinnamon, lemons and sugar.

Arthur and Lance were in charge of the dessert and they made a big fuzz about it. No one was allowed to know or see it. they had so much fun preparing it, it was contagious.

They even did their own secretively shopping.

The spirit, the scents, the happy laughter, it was all leading to a peaceful Christmas, wasn't it?


	3. Behind the Veil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She had all eternity to seek revenge.

It wasn't hell so it must be heaven, Morgause wondered.

She hadn't given it much thought though, ever. The light was somewhat ethereal, she could just look at it forever without any sense of time. It changed every so often but always softly like the sunbeams through the leaves.

Later she discovered dark spots as well.

Good and bad were entangled at the same place. Death united them, balanced them out, something like that. Behind the veil, it didn't seem to matter that much anymore. 

The veil itself was a waving thick layer of, well, of life itself, not of any known fabric. It looked transparent but you could not see through. It also looked like you could push it away, but you wouldn't get past it. Only in the middle, some of the death told her, it was deteriorating but heavily guarded.

Why should she want to leave?

Time and again she was attracted by the light. It was pure, pristine.

In the beginning, she stayed close to the veil. Now and then, the veil rippled and a new death struggled to get through. Almost like a birth.

Eventually, she met Nimueh and Uther, wandering off to one of the dark spots. It was nothing heartbreaking, nothing emotional. They knew each other and met again. Nothing more, nothing less. Soon as she met them, they started talking about leaving, only all the time.

Why on earth, er, why in heaven should she leave? It was all just fine here, wasn't it?

They let her be.

After an eternity, she became a sort of restless. It gnawed at her. She wandered off again to the darker spots, where they met again. She asked Nimueh why she wanted to leave?

"Oh, sweety. To live again of course", she exclaimed.

"Could that be?"

"If we unite, yes we could", Uther said.

She drifted off again, to the divine light, enjoying it, moment by moment. Seduced by the brightness of it, realising the lack of it in her adult life. The child within her longed for it, to dwell in the eternal source of light. Giving her what she couldn't have back then.

Now and then she longed for little things, like flowers or birds. On one of those moments, she created grass because she missed the feeling of it under her bare feet. Long after that, she realised she still had magic, how else could she have created it? Creating grass wasn't a really powerful display of it, but she still did have magic.

Merlin didn't harvest it as he had done to Nimueh.

Having magic was having power.

Should she?

Could she?

She turned her back to the light and wandered into the dark spots and stayed there. After all, darkness had always been her comfort zone. In the dark, she started to practice her magic. It took an eternity before she was able to produce so much as a weak flame. Only her spells were stronger and lasted longer. Eventually, she focussed only on her spells, charms and incantations. It wasn't the power she was longing for. All she wanted was revenge to the man who killed her; Merlin.

Then she would rest in the light, forever.

Now and then, she drifted back to the light.

She even talked with the other death.

She learned that sometimes the only way to communicate with your loved ones was by telepathy. You had to put a lot of love and effort into it but sometimes it worked.

She left the love out of it but put a lot of effort to get in touch with Merlin.

Didn't work.

Nimueh explained it to her. "Merlin is too strong for you. You should find weaker people, preferably without magic." One time Uther advised her to use the deviant children his son adopted. They were weak because they were children and telepathically gifted.

From a distance, she started watching them.

She listened, she learned.

By the time she knew enough she was disgusted by the happy little family she observed.

The light and the darkness consoled her partly, but she couldn't fill the empty gap inside of her, the old pain was here to stay.

She started slowly, without pressure, to learn how to send thoughts in all the perceptive minds she could find.

She had all eternity to seek revenge.


	4. Christmas

Finally, it was the night before Christmas.

Everything was ready as far as possible. They all celebrated a quiet evening in their own homes. Merlin and Arthur sat with Tommy and Joan at the heard eating fish and chips from their laps. With soda, and beer. They all burped as loudly as possible. Arthur won narrowly from Tommy.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care. A small Christmas tree stood in the window with colourful lights.

Laying in their beds, Merlin told them Christmas stories, till they all dozed and made it an early night.

Long before their alarm went off, Tommy and Joan found their Christmas presents and woke their dads. Even Arthur, not exactly a morning person, sat with them and cheerfully unwrapped their gifts. Merlin made them hot cocoa for breakfast and while Arthur showered he took his coffee outside in an attempt to wake up.

The night was peaceful with a crescent moon. Stars twinkled, the snow sparkled. He was looking forward to the busy festive day of Christmas and a homy tomorrow. After that, he would look into the meaning of the hooded boy, since it was no threat.

In the very early Christmas-morning at the Manor, long tables were set out in the veranda with the finest white linen, decorated with garlands of green. Chandeliers were brought in by Cenred with real candles. Young students, beautifully dressed, were instructed by Hunith when and how to serve the courses. Merlin had recruited them so all his friends could enjoy the dinner.

Arthur and Lance had put a big table in front of all the others for the staff of Ealdor Manor, with name cards on it. When midday everybody had arrived and had a drink and found his or her place at the tables, the two were missing.

Tommy spotted them first.

In shining armour, red capes, with torches and gleaming swords, they escorted Santa in a real sleigh, with two gold decked horses. With a lot of hohoho's Santa gave out presents for each and everyone, beautifully wrapped.

Merlin enjoyed the happy faces all around.

Gwen leaned in on him; "They have forgotten us." Merlin looked around, he hadn't noticed. He rolled his eyes. "Don't be so sure of it. They might be up to a sort of surprise for you and me." Gwen smiled and nodded. "You could be right, you know."

Dinner was perfect from the starters with fruit and cheese and vegetable soup to the delicious turkey.

In between the courses, children were playing and people walked around. They really took their time. And of course, they ate way too much.

They were all bulging out when suddenly the lights were dimmed. Only the candles were burning now, spreading a soft golden glow around. Arthur and Lance brought in beautifully decorated puddings with blueberries and clotted cream and sparkles on it. When all the desserts were handed out, Lance asked for silence.

Merlin and Gwen glanced at each other; No presents and now no desserts. What were they up to?

To everyone's surprise, they elegantly rolled parts of the table in front of Gwen and Merlin away. People raised to have a better look, kids were standing on their seats. Elyan opened the piano and stroke some accords. To everybody's utter astonishment, they sang. Arthur's baritone together with Lance's tenor in a moving rendition of When I fall in love. A simple two-part song but so well done, from the heart and flawless. In their shining armour, with their red capes, their hands on their swords and on their hearts, no one could take their eyes off them.

The hall fell silent, a tear was shed.

Merlin's mouth fell open. He got goosebumps all over. Gwen sobbed already at the first note. No one knew they had such beautiful singing voices, nor that they could sing. When they were finished, the silence lingered on. Then, soft and slow the applause started and went on for minutes. It echoed through the Manor.

Merlin and Gwen raised and kissed and hugged their lovers to compliment them.

"It's the best gift I ever got for Christmas", Merlin stuttered.

"Well, it's getting even better", Arthur said smiling.

They both grabbed something from their pockets and when everyone had quieted down, they both fell on one knee.

Everyone gasped and hushed and made little sounds of joy and expectation.

"My dearest Merlin", Arthur started.

"My beloved Guinevere", Lance said.

Both men opened the little boxes and showed the content to Merlin and Gwen.

Together they said; "Will you marry me?"

Gwen jumped at Lance shouting and she almost knocked them both down and screamed; "Yes, yes yes. Oh yes."

The hall applauded and then looked at Merlin and fell silent again.

Merlin's eyes were wide, his face a mess, his mouth open. When he recovered he raised and nodded slowly while kissing Arthur; "Yes, I will."

"We're gonna be bridesmaids", Joan exclaimed. Everyone oohed and aahed. Morgana and Hunith came in with bubbles. Christmas had never been more festive. Merlin's ring was wide and flat, braided from three colours of gold, simple and delicate. Gwen's was a delicate shining gold one with a beautiful bluish diamond.

After the toasts and cheers and congratulations, they were all having coffee around the fires.

The sun was already setting. Joan and Tommy started to behave pretty badly. It had been a long day to them, they ate too much and got a lot of stimuli. The experienced parents around them advised ignoring it and put them to bed. Mordred suggested to bring them and offered to babysit them. They didn't even protest but just hugged their dad's with sleepy eyes and off they went.

Merlin and Arthur waved to them from behind a window, their arms around each other.

"I've never been happier", Merlin said. His head rested on Arthur's shoulder, looking out over the winter wonderland the estate was now.

As soon as all their guests had left and the night shift arrived they started cleaning the hall, chanting Christmas songs in the halls.

When it was done, Merlin and Gwen visited the victims in their apartments to see if they were alright, to tug them in or just to say goodnight.

Lance and Arthur, with long warm red capes over their armour, waited for them at the entry. In his SUV Lance brought them home since the snow was becoming a small blizzard.

Being a little drunk and a lot in love, they fell out of the car.

Kissing and cuddling, eager to have sex and laughing they entered their home.

Suddenly, Merlin felt a chill starting around his heart.

Something was terribly wrong.

Inside they found Mordred, literally frozen in his chair.

He texted Hunith who came immediately through the inside door. They started to work together to get rid of the evil magic that tied Mordred.

Arthur went to the bedroom of his kids.

He came back, stumbling, pale as death.

"They're gone. Tommy. Joan. They're gone."

The world stopped spinning.


	5. Only death comes without hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It is mother calling", Joan said.  
> "Realy?" Tommy replied.  
> "Realy! Now come, uncle Mordred is sleeping." 
> 
> Barefeet they walked outside into the snow and disappeared.

They all fell back in their chairs.

Gone?

Kidnapped?

How?

Why? 

But, they must have used magic.

"Who used magic", Merlin exclaimed, "dammit, who?"

He jumped and scanned his home. All he found were sickening traces of black magic. But it couldn't be, could it?

Slowly Mordred came back to them.

"What happened?"

Arthur took him in his arms.

"You have been frozen by magic. They took the children."

Mordred fell on his knees, he was inconsolable.

"It's my fault", he kept screaming. "I fell asleep."

Merlin sighed and sat down on the floor with him.

"It is not your fault. This house should have been protected by magic. It must have been something stronger."

Although he hardly believed it.

In the meantime, Hunith had texted all their friends and they came, one by one through the bad weather and comforted each other. Some suggested to go outside and look for them, others suggested to call the police.

"I shouldn't do that", Gaius said softly. "This is not just missing kids. This is of a different league."

He looked at Cenred, who agreed, as did Freya and Elena.

Barely to see, a shimmer, not more, Balinor appeared. Hunith hushed everyone and together with Merlin, she stepped closer.

".......it's Morgause...........she is getting stronger.......learned to use her magic being dead..............weakening me........I don't........."

And gone he was again.

Morgause!

It dawned on Merlin. He sank in the arms of Arthur.

"What?"

Merlin breathed heavily.

"She took her magic with her. I,...... I couldn't harvest it, there was no time. I didn't know she would be able to use it from there."

Arthur frowned. "From where?"

"From behind the veil. But I don't know how she did it. And it is weakening Balinor."

Now they all sat back. Silenced by the horror of it. All of a sudden it became a different Christmas.

Gwen and Gwaine needed to do something and made coffee and hot cocoa and served some leftover scones.

Morgana bit her carefully manicured fingernails. Should she tell about her dreams?

After some minutes, Merlin pulled himself together and told his friends to put on some warm clothes and take their hot drinks outside.

Angry as hell, Merlin lit the fires with his fists, meant for their private party tomorrow. The layers of snow melted within seconds sizzling in the raging fire.

He walked off the terrace and sank kneedeep in the snow. Using the old language, with his lowest voice, he summoned Kilgharrah. His eyes black as the sky. His voice echoed, the earth shivered, snow fell from the trees.

He landed grotesquely sliding in the snow. Shining black against pure white.

"My dear warlock", he started.

Then he squinted and looked around to the fire and Merlin's gasping friends.

"Am I part of your Christmas show?" His head bowed to Merlin.

"Yes", Merlin snapped, "definitely the highlight."

The dragon held his tongue, confused and looked around.

"Where are my children?"

Immediately he got his attention. Squinting his big eyes he rhetorically asked; "Tommy and Joan?" He slowly closed the first of his three eyelids.

Merlin knew better than to disturb him when he was this way and walked back to his friends. Arthur gave him a cup of fresh hot cocoa. He sipped and held his hands around it for warmth. His friends were grouped together around the fires, wrapped in blankets and did nothing but gaze at the dragon, so close, so big.

Suddenly Kilgharrah came to life again and roared with his mighty voice, his huge head back to the sky. Even Merlin was touched by it and only he heard the anger and sadness in his voice.

"They're gone", he whispered.

Merlin shook his head.

Hesitantly he said; "We do know already, you know?"

"No, no", the dragon wave his head. "You don't understand. ** _I_** cannot find them. _**I**_ cannot sense them."

"Meaning?"

Kilgharrah glanced at Merlin, then at his friends.

"They're gone-gone", he said with the saddest of voices. "Either they're behind the veil........ or out of this universe."

He took off with unexpected speed and deafening noise of his wings, causing a little local blizzard. Within seconds he was out of sight.

 _I'll get back to you_.

Behind the veil meant; dead. But out of this universe? Merlin almost hyperventilated for fear and shock. Arthur got a whiter pale of grey when Merlin explained. His friends gasped first, then cried and talked altogether at once. Of course, they wanted to help. Arthur wanted action. The boys wanted a plan.

"What can we do?"

A numb Merlin said when they all were quieted down.

"I mean; If they're dead, they're dead. If they're somewhere in another universe, what can we do?"

His message got through and they all looked beaten. They could do nothing, till Kilgharrah came back. One by one they left till the two of them were alone in their deadly silent home. Desperate and sad they held each other and walked to the painfully empty bedroom.

In the middle of the room stood a hooded kid, maybe 10 years old. Frail and fragile. His eyes were the shiniest darkest green in a pale face. Merlin touched his powers without thinking. He sensed the magic of an unknown kind, not of this world. Not evil, not bad, just out of this world. And, strangely, not matching his.

"Let's not fight?"

The boy asked it with a husky, sort of shrouded but tuneful voice. It's timbre to old for his body.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin asked, feeling part of a déjà vu.

"You recognise me?" He tilted his head and smiled, both angelic and devilish.

"What are you doing here?"

The boy moved like he wasn't walking. His cold hand touched Merlin's face and then he bowed, saying; "Emrys. The honour."

When he raised, he asked; "Why do you need me here?"

He stood between them without moving.

"Where are my children?"

"Did you know they are telepathically gifted?"

"Where are they?" Merlin shouted.

Arthur saw his jaws clench, worried and angry.

"Do you know where they are?" He intervened.

"Dear Arthur Pendragon, nice to meet you too. Do you recognise me?"

Arthur squinted and looked at the boy. "You look like Mordred when he was younger."

The boy laughed, tinkling as Christmas bells.

"What if I am Mordred", he roared, "coming from a parallel universe?"

The boy had a strange way of answering questions.

"Can you help us?" Merlin sighed.

"Will you do as you are told?"

The boy locked eyes with Merlin.

He thought about it.

"I will do whatever I have to do to get my children back."

The boy bowed.

"What about tomorrow? Same place? Same time?"

And he was gone.

After a while, they undressed and collapsed in their bed. They clamped to each other.

Silent.

Sad.

Worried.

Dozing brutally disturbed by their fears.

At dawn, Arthur raised to fill the heard with wood and lit a fire. He was waking Merlin's coffee machine when Merlin woke and walked to the fridge. He took some veggies and a blanket and walked outside. After cleaning some snow he sat on the ridge of the terrace. It didn't take long for the deer with her stag approached him.

_We both have found our stag again._

Merlin chuckled despite everything.

_But against what price._

He fed them the veggies. The stag snorted when Arthur walked outside and quietly sat next to him. He brought a bottle with him and made friends with the stag.

"That's one of the reasons I love you", Merlin said, "you simply fit in my world. All the time."

Arthur smiled and listened to the guttural sounds Merlin made to the deer.

_Thank you for giving us more land. Maybe we'll both find our children. Remember; Only death comes without hope._

They watched them going back into the park.

Arthur got them some more blankets, strong coffee and cigarillos. Hunith joined them hugging them without a word, looking as tired as they were. After loads of coffee and even more cigarillos, Merlin summoned the dragon.

It took him ten minutes to obey.

He landed close to them.

 _You have always been impatient_ , he greeted.

His skin looked dirty and grey. For as far as that was possible for a dragon, he looked tired.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked.

"I am. Thank you. I am only getting old. My last years have come I guess. Making it harder to flipflop from one world to another."

"I am sorry", Merlin said. "What have you found out?"

The dragon sighed and kind of laid down in front of them.

Merlin caressed the soft spot on his nose. Unasked he released his magic into the dragon and discovered he could heal him, gave him new energy.

"You are so kind", the dragon said when his skin was shining black again and internal wounds healed by Merlin. His old hurting bones felt renewed too.

"Only dragonlords can heal their dragon."

Merlin leaned back into Arthur's arms.

"Joan and Tommy are misled by Morgause. They are enchanted to think they will find their late mother. Of course, they will not find her. But when they cross the line thinking they will meet their mother, it is Morgause who will change places with them. And once behind the veil......"

"Where are they?"

"In a parallel universe. One with an almost broken veil."

"Can we go there?" Arthur was eager for action, as always.

The dragon looked at him and said. "Yes, you can."

Merlin jumped.

"How?"

"Find the man who talks in questions."

Arthur and Merlin looked at each other.

"He found us", they both said.

"Good. That's good. I should have known. You must follow him, Merlin, alone."

Merlin only looked at the dragon.

"Well, er, maybe take Arthur with you."

They stayed silent.

"And Hunith. Whatever. I can't control you. But I can't go there. I will guard your precious Estate and wait for your return. I am used to that part anyway."

Before he took off he said; "Only swords and knives and so, no guns. And take your own food. Don't eat anything over there, anything."

"One more thing", Merlin shouted to the already flying dragon, "will we be able to talk?"

_We always will, with some delay may be due to the different time-lapses._

The three of them went inside. They didn't need much time to decide what they would do. Within two hours every one of their friends was at the home of Merlin and Arthur. As ordered in Merlin's messages they dropped all the food they could find at Hunith's house. All dressed in layers of travelling clothes with little baggage. At the house of Freia en Elena, Cenred handed out weapons. Swords, knives, bows and arrows, quarterstaffs, catapults. Most of the boys were in shining armour, with a red cape. It somehow felt so right.

Merlin instructed them.

"Tonight, if you want, we will follow the hooded boy to another universe. I have no idea where we are going and what to expect. No guns allowed, no gear, no phones. Only the weapons Cenred gave you. Don't eat anything from there, not even a drop of water. Carry as much food and drinks as you can in small portions. Hunith will help you with that. And, of course, you are free to stay behind."

He couldn't tell more. It was as uncertain and vague as it was. But all his friends wanted to come with him.

In the midst of the activities, to Merlin's surprise, Kilgharrah landed in front of the house.

_I want every weapon laid out in front of me._

Merlin squinted for a short moment but didn't ask any question. He just told them to do as the dragon said. In the hours to follow, Kilgharrah carefully breathed fire on each and every weapon.

 _I don't know why_ , he told Merlin afterwards, _but I had to enforce them, to give your weapons some magic."_

At the end of the day, they all gathered inside and waited.

The hooded boy appeared as he had promised. Almost all of them were cramped into the bedroom.

The hooded boy looked at each and every one. He smiled faintly.

"What did you think", he asked Merlin, "three is a crowd?"

With a powerful whisper, the hooded boy said: "Why don't you all close your eyes and open them when I tell you too?"

They all closed their eyes and with no more noise than a sigh they were gone.

Gaius and Alice sat on Tommy's bed. Only Hunith knew they would stay behind. Alice wove her hand and showed the opening of a portal, like a water hose. With care, they protected the bedroom with spells so their friends could safely return. They went to their car and one by one they brought craters with food and drinks and stored them in the fridge, the cupboards and on the kitchen table.

Gaius lit the fire in the heard and made some strong coffee. "All we can do now is wait", he said. Alice nodded. "I hope we did the right thing."

They sipped their coffee and watched the flames.

Outside more and more campfires started to show their flickering light.


	6. The journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur's glanced angrily at the hooded boy.  
> He pointed at Merlin; "We are their parents, you are a dad. We should save them, that's why we are here for."  
> His jaws clenched, his eyes darkened.  
> Merlin raised. Calmly he locked eyes with the man he loved more than anything in the world. "Before I am a dad, before I am a son, before I am a friend, even before I am your lover I first and foremost am magic. I cannot choose otherwise."

It felt like wading through syrup, to Merlin, or like falling in slow motion. When a voice from far away told them to open their eyes, he had to pull himself from a deep slumber.

"You alright?"

His most beloved pair of blue eyes looked into his.

"Fine. I think. A bit dizzy. You?"

"Same. Bit nauseous. I think."

The sunlight hurt his eyes and it took a while before he was able to see his friends scattered around the shore of a small river, recovering too. In the water on a small boat, stood the hooded boy, waiting.

He pulled Arthur closer and said; "Promise me, once we are safely back home, we will start living an easy life?"

Arthur kissed him gently on his cheek and said: "I promise you. How about herding sheep on a faraway farm?"

The humour sparkled in both their eyes. Arthur gave him his hand and helped him raise.

"But first let's save our little lambs."

He didn't want to be here, to put them in danger. Again. He didn't want to be here to have to save his children. But he was. He had to. Merlin shook it all off and walked closer to the water. The hooded boy turned his head.

"Why don't you all get in?"

Merlin opened his mouth to argue the boat was too small but kept his mouth shut and stepped aboard. They all fitted in. Space was adjusting to the number of people in it. Some sat at the few banks or the ridge. Merlin and Arthur stood behind the hooded boy. With a gentle move of his hand, the boat started sailing, pretty fast, floating but barely touching the water, or so it looked.

"Who wants to find out why this river is called 'Death'?"

The boys whisper echoed over the water, causing ripples in the thick fluid. They all looked to the river, surprised and a little scared. How could the peaceful floating water, gently kissing the lush green shores, be dangerous?

"No one", Merlin assured him.

"What if this is the most dangerous but fastest way to travel in this wicked world?"

"Where are we going?"

The hooded boy squinted at Arthur.

"Destiny. What else?"

His laughter shattered the silence.

He closed in on Merlin.

"It will take a day before we get near to your children, cause they are riding unicorns. Now, what will you choose? Are we grabbing the children and run? Are we going to fight Morgause or are we closing the veil?"

Merlin locked eyes with Arthur. He shook his head, Arthur shrugged.

"Do we have to choose right away?" Hunith asked the hooded boy.

"If not now then when?"

Merlin sat on the bank between Gwen and Lance. Arthur had his hands on his shoulders.

Hunith said; "What do you think has the best chance?"

Merlin looked at the water behind them, without seeing anything.

"I want to grab Joan and Tommy and ran back home. But, Morgause needs to be defeated or we will never find peace. And if we don't close the veil, each universe will suffer, in the end."

He sighed. His responsibility, first of all, was to close the veil. If he did it right, he could also fight Morgause and at the same time save the children. He leaned his head to Arthur's chest. But he had to act differently.

"What do you think?"

Arthur stroked his hair back with one hand and said; "My only goal is to save Tommy and Joan. As it should be yours. Isn't it?"

Merlin shook his head. He was expecting this argument. He straightened his back and said; "My only responsibility as a magician is to close the veil and that's what I am going to do."

"What if that was, in fact, your only choice?"

Arthur's glanced angrily at the hooded boy.

He pointed at Merlin; "We are their parents, you are a dad. We should save them, that's why we are here for."

His jaws clenched, his eyes darkened. Merlin raised. Calmly he locked eyes with the man he loved more than anything in the world.

"Before I am a dad, before I am a son, before I am a friend, even before I am your lover I first and foremost am magic. I cannot choose otherwise."

He put his hand on his chest.

"And I need you to understand, without knowing all there is to it."

The short golden flickering of his eyes was the only thing that stopped Arthur from fighting. He knew Merlin enough to know he always had a reason for what he did.

The hooded boy looked satisfied and turned around again.

Merlin took Arthur with him to the back of the boat. He embraced him but only to whisper in his ears; "I have no choice."

Arthur frowned and leaned on his shoulder.

"I know. But that's not making it any easier."

It must have been hours when the hooded boy stopped the boat. He anchored it close to a lovely meadow.

"Why don't you stretch your legs and eat?"

They all willingly disembarked and walked into the grass with their food. Merlin had a lot of convincing to do before they all agreed he had no choice in this. He gave them only a shimmer of hope to mention he believed they could save his children after they closed the veil. He wasn't sure about it. But only death came without hope.

Back in the boat, some of them washed their hands in the thick water, without thinking, making plans for later.

"Forgot the name of this river?" The hooded boy whispered.

The wind suddenly became stronger, the water restless. Waves started splashing against the boat. Gwen shouted when two strong blackened rotten arms raised out of the water and tried to grab her. She screamed when they succeded to pull her half into the fierce stirring waters. Arthur and Lance jumped to her rescue and slashed into the arms till they let go. They pulled her back in the boat, crying and shivering. She dried quickly in the sun, but Lance had to hold her. It was only when Hunith gave her a potion, she calmed down.

"Stay in the middle of the boat", Merlin shouted.

They grouped, looking outwards, weapons out. More hands and arms, without bodies, tried to grab. Mordred waved his hands to hold the boat stable. Merlin shot fireballs all around till the wind laid down and the water became quiet again.

"You should have warned us", Merlin snapped at the hooded boy.

"Don't you think I did? You're adults, ain't you?"

It took quite a while before they quieted down and dared to sit down again.

"Would you be as kind as to help me, dear Emrys, with the last part of this dreadful river?" The hooded boy asked Merlin.

Merlin walked over to him. "Sure. What's up?"

He just pointed ahead of them. Merlin saw a faint mist in the distance, silverly shining in the sunlight.

"How about you and I stabilise this boat when we go down the Waterfall of Doom."

Merlin startled.

"What should I do?"

"Maybe we could combine our powers? Oh, and would you be as kind as to tell your friends not to move when we fall? Not even a finger?"

Merlin swallowed hard before he turned back to his friends and told them what laid ahead.

"We will stabilise the boat but please be sure the only thing you do is breathe. Don't move whatever happens out there."

He made sure each and everyone understood the importance of it before he stood next to the hooded boy. The mist of fine water drops became dense. The thunder of the waterfall louder. The hooded boy nodded. Merlin unleashed his magic. Their powers met. They both experienced the tickling of the new magic on their skin. For a short moment, the flowing of it in his veins made him dizzy. Then he inhaled and felt a new strongness he hadn't experienced before. He could see the threatening creatures lure in the water, he felt the darkness of the deep thick water. He also could, in a way, communicate with the waterfall. It was different. The river was death, the waterfall was life. It was a border, somewhat like the veil. He thought it said; We'll carry you. He thought it did. He waved a reassuring thread out to his friends.

Can you do that?

The hooded boy was in his head. Two consciousnesses intertwined as one. As their magic was braided.

I just did.

I could learn from you.

Be my guest.

The thunder of the waterfall was deafening now. Water was all around them.

Please stabilize the boat while I make friends with gravity?

Merlin folded his power around the boat and he shielded his friends while it entered the waterfall. It hung in midair for a while. He cooperated with all the forces pulling at the boat and held it stable. After a while, both were sweating, the boat started to go down, slow and steady. The water roared down and bounced loudly off the shield. Horrible creatures worked their way up through the water of life towards the river of death. Only distracted by any sign of life. They all held their breath and didn't move although they were tempted to cry and jump.

Finally, with a soft thud, the boat landed on the surface of the lake down the waterfall. Slowly it drifted away into the gorgeous river of life with sparkling clear water.

Merlin and the hooded boy sank in the boat, panting and sweating. Not alone their powers were drained by their effort, also their energy.

They all applauded and exclaimed their admiration of the two and their happiness of being alive.

The pale hooded boy leaned back and closed his eyes for a while.

Hunith handed Merlin a potion to regain his energy faster and some ham sandwiches. Arthur pulled him away so he could lean his back to his breast and put his arms around him. After the potion and some sandwiches, he waved with his hands and dried all of their soaking clothes. Hunith pulled a little sachet out of one of her bags, put it in a cup and poured some water into it.

"If you have any magic left you can heat your cup of coffee", she smiled.

He loved her for it. It took him little effort to heat it and the black, sweet and strong coffee filled his body with new energy. Even Arthur sipped from it. "It smells like home", he smiled. When he got up again, the boat floated gently over the river. The crystal clear water showed beautiful plants and colourful fishes. The scent of the water mixed with spicy herbs and grasses from the shore. The sun shone brightly, the sky was clear blue. They all sighed for a moment of happiness, almost forgotten why they were here.

"How much longer?"

"Would you like to know the future?"

Merlin swallowed his impatience and irritation.

"I would like to get it over with, that's all", he snapped.

"Why don't you just wait what the river of life brings you?"

After a bend in the river, they saw a stone wall appear. Darkish brown. From a distance, it looked like the water disappeared, but when they got closer the river went on in huge caverns and caves with hardly any sunlight. The hooded boy lit the water softly. Merlin sent little light balls up in the air. Using his magic here gave him tinkles and made him a little dizzy.

"Why don't you change your frequency?"

Merlin frowned at the hooded boy.

Like a feather, a tender breeze, his magic touched Merlin's powers. Without being invasive, cells in his body were epigenetically adjusted, maybe even his mind was altered slightly. For a short time, his vision blurred. After that, he felt stronger, more conscious, focussed.

The hooded boy stared at Merlin.

"How come you don't know how powerful you are?"

Merlin shrugged distractedly.

Something was pushing in his mind.

Vaguely thoughts of the dragon entered. _You cannot die. You are immortal, whatever happens. Remember that._

Merlin walked through the boat. He touched his friends one by one and spoke a few reassuring words. He felt they were close to their kids and knew they couldn't be closer to the veil.

"Be brave and wait for me", he said to Hunith and Arthur, hugging them. They nodded determinedly.

He kissed Arthur gently at his cheeks. "No matter what happens to me, I will not die", he whispered, "remember that."

Arthur nodded but frowned also a bit worried.

The boat stopped at a huge plateau of flat black stones.

The hooded boy locked eyes with Merlin. "Can we leave them here till we return?"

They stepped out of the boat. The hooded boy started to walk immediately.

Merlin looked down at his friends with a calm expression on his face.

"Please wait here till we get back, as we have agreed."

He smiled broadly and turned his back to them as if he went for a short walk.


	7. Of life and death

Merlin and the hooded boy ran into the caves till there was nothing but space without walls, without limits. Soon they stood in front of the slowly moving veil. Endless as far as he could see. His skin pricked. He felt the thick layers of the veil, overwhelmed with each life that has ended here. The residue of all lives shaped the veil.

Right in front of them, the veil was torn apart.

The gatekeeper of death retreated on seeing the two sorcerers.

They intertwined their magic and started to repair it, to heal the veil.

In contrast to the mortals, Merlin could see right through it. The comforting serene light and the hidden dark places. Arriving souls, lingering spirits, magical creatures and the playing children. All the death he knew arrived and combined their love to add to the veil.

"You can see?"

Merlin nodded with tears on his cheeks.

Balinor and Will waved at him, without the weakness Balinor showed when he appeared on earth.

No matter what they did, the veil wouldn't heal.

"We have to do it on both sides at the same time."

The looks in the eyes of the hooded boy and his friends behind the veil were of pure horror.

"How'd you come back?"

"One thing at the time", Merlin said smiling and disappeared through the hole.

The dark side, the black magic might be strong but had only one side; evil. Good on the other hand was whole, complete. Light and shadow. Balance. In the end, it would always win.

From two sides now, with their powers, their goodness and more important, with both their love and respect for life itself, the veil would not resist them.

So he hoped.

After Merlin had left with the hooded boy, they wandered off the plateau on the shores and some of them laid down for a bit while the others watched over them.

Hunith took Arthur apart.

"I'm going after them.

Someone has to try to defeat Morgause or at least weaken her. If so, she might lose her telepathically power over the children."

Arthur held her and looked in her eyes.

"My dearest mother", he said. For the first time, he called her mother. "I am proud of you, proud to be part of your family. You go after her, of course. I didn't expect anything else. Be careful though." He turned around and called Lance. "Will you accompany Hunith, wherever she may go?" He looked at one another. "Sure", he said, "my pleasure."

She blinked for a short moment.

Brisk but intense he said goodbye to Gwen.

Then Hunith walked away into the cave with her bags on Lance.

Arthur looked at them leaving, pensively, wearily. After a while, his smile came back on his face and he called for his friends.

Finally, the veil responded and could be healed, slowly and piece by piece. Inch by inch they closed it and all the lost creatures came back through the veil one by one. The balance of life and death was restored.

Once they finished, the hooded boy left, waving weakly to him.

Merlin turned around. So, this was death, huh? What should he do now? How to be dead, was the question. He didn't feel any different on this side of the veil. But then again, he didn't have any experience of being dead. He was still aware of his body and still worried as hell about his children. To his surprise, he also felt Arthur's presence. Maybe it took time? Could death be a process?

Balinor and Will approached him. Will smiled his well-known smile. But Balinor frowned and said; "Why are you here? You are not supposed to be here."

Merlin startled.

Weren't they happy to see him?

"You better get the hell out of here before you can't."

He just arrived?

"Son, go to the light, leave, as fast as you can."

They shivered and disappeared.

He was alone in the vastness of space.

Suddenly he remembered the words of Kilgharah. _You cannot die. You are immortal, whatever happens._ _Remember that._

He ran into the light.

As soon as he got lost in the almost unbearable gleam, he felt all forces of all worlds, of nature and mankind, pull at him. Cords of the magical worlds held him. He travelled through the wind and became both breeze and hurricane. He was the waves in the ocean, the thunderstorm, a drop on a leaf. He was the earth, stone and rocks, soil and dirt, butterfly and bear. In the middle of the earth, he exploded into fire and burned to death. His limbs melting lead yet at the same time raising out of the ashes with flying wings. Time and time again he left and arrived on the planet. Seeing more than could ever be seen. Being the sun and the moon. A falling star. Falling through life and death, hope and despair, faith and love.

He blinked and found himself alone in the silent cave again. His power roared through his body like never before.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw a figure laying on the stones. He recognised her clothes.

"Mother", he shouted and ran for her. He fell on his knees and checked her vital signs. She was wounded, dried blood on her pale face. But he felt a pulse. He released his powers and looked for internal wounds, cured the pain, healed ruptures and fractures in no time. Finding traces of evil he couldn't handle right here and now. Bur the colour came back in her face.

Still weak, she sighed and opened her eyes. "Merlin", she whispered with a faint smile and asked urgently for Lance before she lost her conscious again.

He ran outside.

Where were his friends?

Was Lance with her?

Not even the boat was there anymore. His mother needed care. "Kilgharrah", he roared, knowing he wouldn't show up. Stumbling back he wondered if he could take a leap of faith and shift to his universe while going back in time? They had been here for at least two days. What if Lance was here, he couldn't leave him behind, could he?

In the back of the cave, he heard a faint groan. In the darker part, he found Lance in a lot of pain with bleeding wounds.

"Oh my god."

He knelt beside him. Immediately he released his magic and stopped the severe bleeding of his belly. Hastily he checked if he needed internal care. Not all could be repaired at once. But after a while, Lance sighed of pure relief and with an expression of gratefulness on his pale face.

"Thank you, my friend", he sighed.

"What happened?"

Lance told him, still panting and recovering from the pain. "Went to Morgause..... with Hunith."

He coughed.

"First we lost.....then something changed. We defeated her."

So, his mother went after Morgause. He chuckled. Of course, how could she have not? He smiled proudly to Lance

"Good. That's good. Now let's get the both of you back home."

"There's more", Lance pulled Merlin's arm. It caused him pain and his voice was a desperate whisper. "We were attacked...I don't know who...or...what...I just slowed them down a bit."

He leaned back and closed his eyes.

It startled Merlin even more. Were his friends safe? Who or what was after them?

 _No need to go back in time. Only be careful. Be quick_.

Short as it was, he was happy the dragon contacted him. Quick was exactly the word he was planning for now.

He lifted Lance and helped him on his feet. They stumbled to where Hunith laid. Lance sat panting next to her, almost fainting.

"Now, we will hold hands together."

They both grabbed one of Hunith's hands.

Merlin took the other hand of Lance, sweating but he still had a firm grip.

"Close your eyes and hold your breath."

Merlin carefully visualised the portal in the bedroom of his children till he had every detail right. He released his magic and asked his power to shift them safely home.

Just before he felt the heavy pull of the shift he saw something moving from the corner of his eyes.

Smoothly they arrived home.

Gaius and Alice ran for them by the noise.

"Gaius. Have the rest arrived?"

Gaius shook his head.

"Shit. Ok. Take care of Hunith and Lance. Bring them to the Manor."

"But", Gaius started.

"Do it now. No time to explain. And get the druids."

"They're all over the place", Alice said while she dragged Hunith to the kitchen.

"Good", Merlin said, "now go."

Gaius helped Lance to his car. Together they put Hunith on the rear seat. Alice and Gaius ran back and as fast as they could they took their craters with them. And off they rode to the Manor.

They put the two to bed after some washing and changing in comfortable clean pyjama's. For now, they only took care of the pain, so they would sleep. After Merlin's magic, the bodies needed time to heal. Gaius would examine them better at a later time, he was worried about Lance. Alice would take care of the traces of black magic. Would it be enough? Both they prepared more beds and checked on their medicine and bandages.

Just in case.

"Prepare for what Merlin didn't say", he told Alice. Gaius knew him long enough for that.

He left Alice alone with her patients and preparations and walked back through the parc.

Hundreds of druids were standing in groups on the grass, from the Manor to the house, around big fires in the cold winter night.

When he found Iseldir he told him; "Merlin wants you to be prepared. He's expecting something bad coming our way."

"We know, Gaius, we know". The man patted him on his shoulders as if attending a good game of soccer. "We're ready to protect him."

He walked Gaius to the house.

"We can heal, we can do magic, but when it's needed to protect Merlin and Arthur", he looked back and waved with his hands to the spectacular view of the gathering of druids and the fires, "we can fight as an army."


	8. The fight

Gaius found Merlin pacing the room while guarding the portal. He seated himself on one of the beds and looked at him.

After a while, Merlin buried his hands in his hair and said; "I have to believe, my friends, Arthur and the children will come through there", he pointed at the rippling portal, "safely."

Gaius nodded. "But?"

He tensed.

"Something bad might be coming through there too. I don't know."

"Hunith and Lance are both infected with traces of black magic. Alice is working on them."

"Exactly", Merlin clenched his fists, "Morgause could have planned anything before Hunith defeated her."

He stopped pacing in front of his uncle, raised his hands and exclaimed; "What should I do?"

Gaius smiled.

"I suggest we wait and face what is coming, as we always do."

"Right." He fell next to Gaius and silently they waited.

"So, what did you do while we were gone?"

Gaius raised his left eyebrow. "Nothing, my dear boy, we just sat by the fire when you came back already."

Merlin frowned.

"We have been away for more than two days."

"No", Gaius disagreed, "no longer than fifteen minutes, maybe twenty."

Merlin thought about it. The universes must have different time-lapses.

"You mean it is still Christmas?" His smile widened. "So, maybe we still could celebrate....."

The portal shivered and started humming loudly.

They both jumped.

"When it's our friends", Merlin shouted, "We must close it immediately after the last one is in."

They all stumbled through the portal in the bedroom. Arthur was the last one, sweating, wounded and panting.

"Close it", he shouted breathlessly.

They did.

Well.

They tried.

It wouldn't close.

An awful smell drifted through the hole together with a heavy rumble.

"Get outside", Merlin shouted.

They ran out of the house right into the protection of the druids. Freia and Gwen jumped into her car with the screaming children and drove like mad to the Manor. The rest was greeted by Iseldir. "What're we facing?"

"Black soldiers?" Arthur said.

"Ah, the undead", Iseldir replied, as we expected."

He turned around just in time to see those black soldiers flowing out of the house, making unbearable sounds and destroying everything they encountered and setting things on fire.

In little than a second, the druids enclosed Arthur and his friends and took the first blow.

More druids came forward and pulled Arthur and his friends further back.

They took a second blow.

The black soldiers simply disappeared when they were stabbed with the magically enhanced weapons of the druids.

A third wave came. Looking even more energetic and cruel than the first. Than Arthur lost count. He fought behind the druids with his friends, side by side, shoulder by shoulder. They were dead tired from their journey and their flight but they slaughtered like breathing machines as Cenred had taught them.

Now and then a druid fell, wounded or dead.

The Ealdor parc had become a battlefield with clashing arms, grunts and shouting. And blood. And destruction. Arthur saw Lance fell. From then he only saw a black wave, a sea of soldiers getting closer, the druids retreating step by step. Now and then, Kilgharrah flew over and burned one or two rows of black soldiers, so the druids could do some steps forward again. But there was always a fresh flow of the undead. The combination of fear, heavy sweating, the bleeding of many wounds and burned flesh made a desperate smell.

The white snow slowly changed from pink to red.

Why didn't Merlin close the portal?

Because he was out of options.

He killed tons of them with his magic, but they were too strong, too many of them, too fast.

The time in between the waves of soldiers was only little seconds. Way too short to close the portal. Besides, now and then he had to extinguish fires the soldiers caused in his already damaged house.

The druids had retreated halfway the parc now.

The army of black soldiers was closing in on them, minute by minute.

Buildings, like Leon's garden house, were burning.

He had to do something to save his friends and his precious Manor.

 _You should open another portal and lure them in there_.

Merlin hesitated.

It was dangerous.

He knew how theoretically. Only he had never done it before.

In between two waves, he shouted to Gaius to step back.

Despite the noise, he tried to focus. He had only one chance. By little movements of his hands, he froze time in the portal. It worked differently, it made them move in slow motion, but that was all he needed. Calm and steady with his roaring voice he created a portal to the only other universe he knew, the magical world. He hoped the creatures there would know how to deal with the black army. He placed the portal close to the other one and pulled all his forces to place it closer and closer.

Not even an inch between them.

It worked.

The waves of soldiers stepped into the other universe.

Gaius stood against the wall with his mouth wide open. Merlin's shouting brought him back immediately.

"We have to get out."

He took his arm and they ran outside.

On the terrace, he turned around.

Through the damaged walls, he could see the two portals.

He panted; "I'm going to push them against each other. My guess is they'll collapse both. But I need your help."

Releasing their magic he stepped back and pulled all the elements together in one big shockwave pushing them slowly towards the two pulsing portals.

When they touched it was louder than the worst thunderstorm, like the world around them collapsed entirely.

The silence afterwards was overwhelming. But there was no time to dwell.

They both ran through the parc till they saw rows of black soldiers fighting with the druids.

With frantic, angry waves of their hands, they both vanished row by row.

His anger let Gaius get back in touch with his slumbering magical powers.

Merlin saw what was left of the druids close to the Manor, not giving in. His friends stood on the terraces defending themselves fiercely. Parts of the building were already burning. He thought he saw the faces of Joan and Tommy behind one of the windows, pale and frightened.

He was getting so tired.

So bloody angry.

Gathering all his powers, demanding earth and all its forces, he opened it fiercely.

Causing a tiny earthquake on the spot.

The gap swallowed the remaining thousands of black soldiers hungrily.

With some last ripples, the earth closed again.

The night silenced for a short time.

Till everybody started to shout and cheer for joy and relief.

Before Iseldir could get to him, dirty, wounded and sweaty, even before Gaius could hug him, Arthur ran into him, fast as lightning and sprang in his arms so they both fell on the ground.

In the night, with his friends and druids around him, wounded and dead, with burning houses and a damaged estate, in the smell of blood, they held on to each other.

Both of them couldn't stop crying for minutes.

When they finally pulled themselves together, they helped each other to get up, barely able to walk. 

The druids were already busy extinguishing the fires. The wounded were dragged inside. Many of the buildings in the Estate were damaged or burned down. Ealdor Manor was only blackened on the outside. To their surprise and astonishment, the big christmas tree in front of the Manor was still standing with only little damage. It just took some new bulbs to let it shine again, their beacon of hope. Despite all that had happened, inside everyone was busy.

The fireplaces in the hall with the veranda were burning. Gwen, Alice and Gaius were cleaning and bandaging wounds of his friends and the druids. Gaius handed them all some potions to regain energy and inspected both their wounds. Lance was still unconscious. No matter how tired they were, Gaius and Merlin worked together to heal their friend, while Mordred kept him in a deep sleep. It was a miracle he lived.

Bathrooms were used by anyone to at least clean a bit. Rooms and beds were changed or adapted to the number of people. Morgana handed out pyjamas of all sorts and colours since no one had clean clothing with them. When everyone was ready, the boys in lovely pyjamas and bandages took the craters of Gaius and handed out food. Fresh sandwiches, fruit, dried meat and even scones. Freia and Elena went back to their damaged home and emptied their cellar They handed out wine, fresh lemonades and cold beers. After a short shower, to their surprise, they changed in the cute pyjamas too.

Merlin and Arthur sat on some cushions to the wall, close to the fire. Joan and Tommy laid with their heads on their laps, pale, tired but already with a small smile on their faces to see all their family of friends having a huge pyjama-party in the most bright colours around the fireplaces with all the christmas lights on.

Lance would be fine, eventually.

When they all were fed, the weariness kicked in and they all fell silent.

Merlin cleared his throat.

"Thank you all my friends", he said hoarsely.

He looked at them, one by one.

The intensity was enough, no more words were needed.

"Let's get some rest here tonight in the Manor, our haven. The druids will stay outside and keep watch over us. Tomorrow we will have christmas here together, recover from all that happened and celebrate life as it is."

Hunith, healed now from her black magic and only limping a bit, took Tommy and Joan and walked them to their shared family room after she hugged both her sons, promising the twins their dads would follow soon and yes they would leave all doors open.

One by one they all hugged Merlin and Arthur before they went to find an empty bed.

At last, Merlin and Arthur filled the fireplaces again with fresh wood to last the night, so the druids would have a shelter in the cold winter night. They walked outside in their pyjamas wrapped in a blanket. Merlin found some cigarillo's and took a bottle of wine. Iseldir met them on the terrace. He looked tired and dirty but he glowed from the inside out. He was the chosen leader now and it showed.

"Twenty-five dead and a lot of injuries, all taken care off", he stated simply with new strength in his voice. He beamed at them; "We protected you and Arthur and the Manor. That's what it makes it all worth."

They were both touched by his devotion to them and didn't respond.

"We will take shifts to guard the Manor tonight and tomorrow, as long as it is needed."

Some tents were set up already with fires in front of them.

"Thank you", Arthur said and hugged the man. "We have lit the fireplaces inside for you in case your shifts need some warmth. And there is food left in the craters in the kitchen."

"You're too kind", Iseldir simply responded and he walked back to his 'army'.

_I'm still here._

"Kilgharrah is still here. I'd like to see him."

"Of course. Let's go."

They walked to the field behind the Manor.

The dragon laid down in the snow. His eyes were half-open. His voice a whisper, compared to his normal roaring.

"Merlin. Arthur."

"You are hurt."

He stepped forward and observed the bruises. With great effort, he released what was left of his magic and healed the wounds, also internally.

Arthur carefully rubbed the nose of the dragon, to the amusement of Merlin and Kilgharrah.

 _My leg_ , he said after Merlin was finished.

He turned on his side and Merlin formed some light balls.

"It's broken."

 _It hurts_.

"It's a clean break. I have to mend it before I can heal it."

 _Do it_.

"Arthur, get the boys out here."

Without stopping he texted the boys who came running in no time.

"What's up, Merls?"

Gwaine was the first, of course.

"I need you to carefully lift this leg and keep it straight."

They hesitated only for a moment.

All close together they lifted the heavy leg till Merlin told them to hold it there. "Arthur and I will mend the break first and then I can heal it. Keep it steady." They groaned and moaned but kept the short but heavy leg in place. Arthur and he climbed on top of the shoulders of the boys, like a real circus act in their pyjamas till they were in the right position just above the leg.

"Now on three, we both push this part down", he instructed Arthur, "in one move. And keep it there."

"It will hurt."

_I know._

Merlin counted.

They pushed.

Kilgharrah groaned loudly.

It startled them but they kept all in place. Merlin released his magic and went inside. Piece by piece he healed the fractures. When it was as new again he repaired the tissue and took the pain away off the muscles around it.

"Okay?"

 _Yes. Much better. Thank you, dear Warlock_.

The boys let go of the leg and the dragon laid down again. "Thank you, you warriors, thank you for helping an old creature like me." They all bowed and went back inside.

Merlin and Arthur both leaned to his big head.

He would heal this time, Merlin thought, but he was getting older and the last dragon on earth. As he was the last dragonlord. No way he was solving that problem.

"You know you still need time to let your body rest and heal?"

"As will you? But don't worry. I will stay right here, at least for the night.

Arthur frowned. "Won't you be cold?"

Kilgharrah and his dragonlord both laughed.

Humans!

"Touch his skin, you dollophead", Merlin said smiling. "And don't touch his breath, it could burn you."

"Ah. Of course." Arthur chuckled.

They finished the bottle of wine and smoked their cigarillo's. Only when their fingers were freezing, they went inside.

In their family room, they walked into Hunith's chamber. She laid curled up and already snored a little. They both kissed her on her forehead and Merlin magically lit a candle on her bedstand, that would burn all night.

Because it was Christmas.

Because he could.

They walked to the room their children slept in. Merlin's cat, with little burning scars, was at Tommy's feet. They slept very lightly and opened their eyes immediately when Merlin touched their hair with his fingers. "We wanted to wait for you dad", Joan said. "I know dear", Merlin responded, "everything is alright now and we're sleeping close to you in the next room, so don't you worry."

They kissed them goodnight.

Merlin lit a candle and left the door open.

Finally, they stumbled in their beds under the duvet.

They spooned their cold tired and hurting bodies and fell asleep almost immediately.


	9. Recovering

The next morning, despite the cold, their wounds and their grief, almost everybody was at the Tai Chi routine in the parc. To all of them, it was a way to cope with what had happened, getting back to any rhythm of their daily life as soon as possible.

Midmorning they walked together through the Estate.

A new layer of snow did cover most of the dried blood. With frowns and sighs, they took in the damage.

The windows of the farm of Gwen and Lance were broken. One of the stables was burned down. No animal was harmed. They all wandered freely through the estate. Somehow they were set free.....

The new roof on Gwaine's and Morgana's farm was burned down. The inside was all blackened. Their horses grouped in the back of the meadow, close to the open stable.

Leon's garden house was destroyed. He shed some tears when he found out his office was still standing. "I can live here", he said.

Merlin's house was badly damaged. The roof was hanging, some walls were tumbled down and the rest was blackened by the fire. The other parts, Hunith's and Freia and Elana's place needed also a lot of repairs.

Defeated they went back to the Manor and stayed inside the rest of the day. Everyone did what he liked to do. The children played hide and seek. People were reading, sleeping, playing board games, watching a movie. Cenred and Freia arranged food. They ate when and how they wanted. Christmas lights were burning all over the place. A big family celebrating a lazy 2nd day of Christmas.

Gwen sat with Hunith at Lance's bed for most of the day.

At some point, the rest of the boys grouped, including Merlin and drank beer with some bites from the kitchen.

"We should make three groups, at first, for we have three places to restore, to begin with", Cenred said, "if you don't mind me taking the lead?"

"By all means", Merlin agreed.

"I'll gather construction workers and material. They are more than willing to help you out and earn some extra in this wintertime."

"Sounds good", Arthur said.

"Each group needs a leader and I'll coordinate it with Merlin and communicate with all. All of you can help."

"It will take a day to get everything together I think?"

They all turned around to Morgana.

"I guess so, yes", Cenred said.

"Good. That's good", she said, "cause tomorrow is shopping time."

Arthur rolled his eyes. Merlin smiled amused.

She pointed her finger with a broken nail to them.

"We all need different things, as simple as a toothbrush or, more important, a manicure. We also need new clothing. So, we still have our cars and tomorrow at 10 am sharp we leave."

"Agreed", Arthur said, "but only if we divide into two groups. I don't need a manicure, for example."

They all laughed and Morgana nodded in agreement with her dazzling smile.

"As long as we all have lunch at the Ealdor Inn. And be back in time for dinner here at the veranda."

Merlin chuckled.

They were a strange bunch of people. Weird, loving, caring and resilient. He loved them. With them sticking together, closing ranks every time, they would survive any disaster. Going out and making plans was a good idea.

He went after her and hugged her.

"Thanks for your support and your splendid ideas."

"You're welcome love.", she smiled.

"Speaking of plans, Gwaine and I are taking Joan and Tommy for a slay ride this afternoon so you and Arthur can catch up on sleep", she smirked, "or sex."

Merlin flushed although he smiled.

When they had left, together with Hunith, he dragged Arthur away from the boys.

"What's up, Mer?"

"You and I. Now. We have babysitters for the afternoon."

His eyes widened and he smiled in anticipation.

"Oi. Let's start in the bathroom", he whispered.

They took a long soothing shower in their temporary room and felt clean for the first time since days. While washing each other's hair and bodies they both got slippery and aroused more and more. It was pure lust. Gentle and careful on both their bruises, but other than that it was raw sex. Exhausted they napped shortly.

Slowly waking up and cuddling, Arthur asked; "How did you close the thing between life and death?"

Merlin turned on his back. The look in his eyes was distracted, far away as he was with his thoughts.

"That boy and I closed the veil by working together."

Arthur grinned. "I have the feeling you don't want to talk about it."

Merlin locked eyes with him.

"True. It wasn't fun."

Arthur waited. He kept stroking with one hand through Merlin's hair. It always had a relaxing effect on him. He closed his eyes.

"Being magic like I am, has many consequences. You could say I felt all that was going on behind the veil."

Arthur held him close, he felt Merlin's body tense. When Merlin's breath was relaxing again, he showed being a great listener.

"What consequences?"

Merlin almost choked in his breath.

"It all can be pretty overwhelming."

Arthur nodded. He leaned with his head on one hand and squinted.

"But you and that boy were in front of the veil, right? I mean repairing it from this site?"

Merlin took a deep breath.

"Yes, we did."

How could he tell Arthur his inexplicable experience behind the veil? He still couldn't cope with it himself. He did not even want to think about being immortal and the consequences of that.

"I am sorry if I have disappointed you to make the only choice I could make by repairing the veil instead of saving the children."

He was a master in changing the subject of a conversation. Arthur knew and let it go for now.

"I don't blame you", Arthur kissed him gently on his forehead. "It took some time, but I do understand, I think."

"I did what I had to do. But I didn't put all my eggs in one basket. I counted on er the universe, destiny. You. All of my friends."

Arthur chuckled.

"You were so right. After Hunith left with Leon to fight Morgause I thought what the heck, I am going to save my children, even if it would be the last thing I did. Everybody was so happy when I told them."

Merlin put his head on Arthur's breast.

"That's why I love my family, my friends. That's why I love you."

They kissed.

Merlin held him so tight even Arthur had difficulty breathing.

"What's the matter, dear?" He gasped.

"Just stay with me. I couldn't bear to lose you."

Arthur smiled and held him close. He kissed his hair. "I will never leave you. You are the world to me. Let's get married in spring."

Just before they dozed off again, Merlin asked; "Would you care to tell me how you saved our children?"

"Yeah, sure", he sat up against the bedstand and propped some pillows for comfort. Merlin laid his head in his lap and fumbled with the duvet for warmth.

"We walked from the plateau. No way we could go further. Rocks were so high, it seemed the end of the world. So we found a path and walked back, hoping to meet the children on their way, but not knowing what we were doing. First thing I saw was a unicorn. And I shot it."

"Ouch", Merlin said.

Arthur sighed. "Yeah. Stupid me. Luckily it was a bad shot. I hit only one leg. Mordred and Morgana yelled at me and healed it together. Wich was amazing. He did something with his hands while Morgana sang. In a way, it was er.... moving."

His eyes were wet from memory.

Merlin knew better than to react or mention it. Not when it was about feelings.

"When the unicorn was healed, he bowed to me and called me King Arthur."

He chuckled. "Does every universe know I once was the one and future King?"

"Yep", Merlin simply said, "In a way, you are immortal."

Not like I am, not like me, my love, he thought.

"He asked me how he could help me. And then he led us to a hill and we could see a beautiful valley. When he left he told us to wait for the children. The only thing that would help was love, he said."

Merlin's eyes widened.

Arthur shook his head.

"I was prepared for battle, to fight for my children. This was so much harder."

He rumbled through Merlin's hair and stared into nothing.

Merlin thought he looked so handsome in this way and held his breath.

"They came riding on two little white unicorns. It was a stunning sight. I stopped them. The unicorns didn't say a word. As didn't Tommy nor Joan. Like if they were not present. They just shot angry looks at me. I started to talk about Morgause but that didn't work. You're lying, they kept saying. Gwen came to the rescue and ran to Joan and dragged her from her unicorn. She hugged her and told her how much she loved her. I walked over to Tommy and jumped on the unicorn and embraced him, telling him how much I cared. But it didn't work. They wanted to see their mother. I was pretty desperate. At some point, Morgana came forward.

Arthur sighed and wiped his eyes, she said; We all love you so much, we let you go, but only because we love you so very very much. I stepped from the unicorn and repeated what Morgs said. We all repeated it, loud and clear. Like a mantra.

But, they walked away.

We kept chanting it. My heart ached for letting them go you know."

Merlin cupped his face and said; "I know, I understand. Letting go sometimes is the bravest most difficult thing to do."

"They kept walking away. Didn't look back", he whispered.

Morgana and Gwen held me.

Suddenly, the unicorns stopped. I think my heart skipped some beats. The twins jumped down and started to look around. Where are we, Tommy? Joan cried. When she saw me running towards them, she ran too into my direction, with Tommy close. They jumped in my arms.

Merlin thought that must have been exactly the moment they sealed the veil and Morgause was defeated, but he didn't tell.

"Daddy, daddy. What are we doing here? Oh, I love you so much. Did you see us riding unicorns? We walked back together to the caves, not knowing what to do exactly. The hooded boy was waiting for us with his boat. He was angry but with a smile, you know? You couldn't resist playing a hero?" That's all he said. He took us back with his boat. He sailed fast. And I mean, really fast. Every time he was looking back as if he was fleeing. Just when we disembarked, out of the blue, the black army attacked us. It was horrible. We started to fight immediately and got them down. But they renewed somehow. At one point, the hooded boy was able to stop them for a short time, barely enough to shift us back. The last thing I heard was his horrible cry. The rest you know."

It must have been the last desperate thing Morgause did, summoning her army of undead. It was the last heroic thing the hooded boy did when he shifted his friends home.

Merlin pulled him down and held him close.

"It's a brave story", he said, "I am so proud of you."

Later that afternoon, when they came back to the central area of the Manor, the boys almost pulled them in and forced both of them in a seat in front of a fireplace.

"Sit and relax", Elyan said smiling.

Leon bowed; "We will serve you coffee."

Too happy with himself, Gwaine walked in from the kitchen with two steamy cups of coffee.

"Real coffee", Gwaine stated while serving them.

It smelled really good. Merlin zipped and almost jumped out of his seat. "Wait. What? How? This is exactly how I love my coffee."

Arthur agreed.

The boys smiled proudly. They rescued Merlin's coffee machine from his house, repaired it and re-installed it in his office kitchen. It was damaged and dirty, but somehow they got it working again, knowing how important it was to their friends.

Joan and Tommy came back from their sleigh ride and jumped on their laps. Cold hands and red cheeks.

They cuddled and Joan asked; "Will you tell us a story daddy? Please?"

Hunith and Morgana came in with trays of hot chocolate.

Merlin chuckled. He thought for a moment, finishing his coffee. A story bubbled up out of nowhere like it always did.

"Once upon a time, there were two dads."

Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"Is it about us?" Tommy asked.

"They lived happily together with their four kids."

"Oh, do I get a brother then?"

"And I certainly a little sister."

People laughed and got seated closer to the two dads and their kids around the fireplace. Morgana sat on Merin's chair back. She was a great fan of Merlin's stories.

"They worked very hard from early in the morning till late at night on their little sheep farm."

Now Arthur got interested and he looked fondly at his lover.

"Despite all the hard work, their little farmhouse was clean and cosy, with fireplaces in every room and too many books to read in one's lifetime. Toys were everywhere. Kittens and pups were all over the place. And there was always a cooking pot on the stove with enough food to feed them all and more. They even found a place for a real Christmas tree with soft golden lights. What they got going in their family was happiness and love with everything they did. Luckily they got help from their kids during the day. At night the fairies helped out, cleaning all the mess and watch the sheep once they were about to drop young. They made cheese from the milk, they knitted sweaters and socks from the wool. Baked their bread. They ate from the land and the fruit trees. Their bees were the happiest in the whole country with all the beautiful flowers around the house. Birds loved their place to nest or, like now, to hide in the winter. They all knew their chickens by name.

However, the country they lived in was wild, so sometimes a sheep was eaten by a bear, or a wolve. Last week their sheep Mary, who was with young, was attacked by a wolve. The dads had saved her and chased it away. But they were frightened for any damage to her young who was about to come.

One freezing cold winter night, just before Christmas, the fairies burst into the daddies bedroom screaming and giggling, as only fairies can."

He waved his hand and colourful fairies were flying through the room, screaming and giggling.

"What's up dearies?"

They landed on his shoulders, picked in his ears and made his hair a mess, for as far as that was even more possible.

Joan and Tommy laughed and screamed too and clapped their hands. Each and everyone in the room was looking and listening now.

"Little lambs are coming. Hurry, hurry.

The dads got up and dressed quickly. They ran to the stable where their favourite sheep Mary, was already delivering. They fell on their knees and gently helped her push till they finally pulled a tiny little lamb in the straw. Moonlight fell right on it in three equal parts on the floor through the small window."

Sometimes even Merlin himself didn't know why he came up with some of the details.

"Mary turned around and started to lick her young clean."

They all aahed and oohed.

"But". he squinted in a dramatical silence with one hand raised, "the little lamb didn't breathe."

Joan and Tommy clapped their hands to their mouths. Even some of the adults startled.

After a long silence, Merlin was on his knees. In front of him were straw and blood and membrane and a little wet white lamb. He used the straw to clean the little mouth of the baby lamb.

"Mary asked the dads to help. The dads looked at each other."

Even Arthur got carried away and fell on his knees next to Merlin who smiled approvingly.

"One dad carefully raised the little thing. The other dad tried to give him air."

Arthur took the lamb with both his hands while Merlin locked eyes with him and carefully opened the animal's lips and gave him air in small breaths. It didn't work.

"Unfortunately, his mouth was way too big."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Daddy, daddy, please can I try?"

Tommy jumped next to Merlin and with his little trembling lips, he gave exactly the right amount of air to the lamb.

"After way too many times, the little lamb finally shivered and bleated just a little. They all were so happy. One of the dads", Merlin nodded to Arthur, "gave the lamb to Tommy and they said; 'You saved its life, it's yours now.' And they all lived happily ever after."

They all sighed. Percival entered the room, snow in his hair, and a sheep at a line behind him. "Er", he said, looking bewildered, "the druids found a sheep outside. Iseldir said it should go inside?"

Then he saw the little lamb in Tommie's lap. "Ah", he said, "let me guess, Merlin told another story."

They put the sheep in the straw with the lamb who eagerly started drinking while Tommy stroke him gently. Joan leaned in on the sheep and hugged it.

Morgana kissed Merlin on his head. "You live your stories, don't you?"

Hunith hugged her son; "Only death comes without hope, isn't it?"

"It's just a story", Merlin said under his breath.

Arthur slapped him gently in the face and raised his eyebrows.

"Don't do that! Your stories are amazing. And when you can get me to participate in one, then you truly are a wizard."

They all laughed.

The picture of the moonlight in three equal parts on the little lamb lingered for a long time in Merlin's head.


	10. Secrets and Lies

Christmas ended happily, after all.

The sheep and the little lamb were the first animals Gwen and Lance took in. Although Lance still didn't know a thing about the living world. Tommy would take care of them, he promised.

Gwen took care of Lance every day and encouraged everyone to just go on with their lives. They did, but at least once a day they visited them to check how he was doing.

After the shopping day, they started to rebuild the estate. Hard labour in the short and cold winter days.

In between, on the long winter nights before the fire, Gwen insisted they made plans for the weddings, this spring. Merlin and Arthur agreed to marry on the same day as Gwen and Lance. Morgana and Perceval would accompany Arthur and Lance. Hunith and Elyan would bring in Merlin and Gwen. Gaius offered to marry them.

The druids still kept guards around Ealdor Manor, day and night.

One night, Arthur was with Morgana, Iseldir visited Merlin who was reading in the hall on a couch under a blanket in front of the fire. The twins slept in the family room with Hunith babysitting. The man looked weary and disturbed. Merlin seated him on his couch and fetched him a cup of hot tea.

"What's the matter, my friend."

The druid had a sad expression in his eyes. He looked older, beaten. He cleared his throat and pulled himself together after zipping his tea.

Locking eyes with Merlin, Iseldir said; "I trust you, Merlin, with my heart, with my life."

Merlin barely moved his hands to raise a bubble, so no one would be able to listen in.

"Thank you", the druid said, "I don't know if I should tell you, let alone if someone else would hear it."

He sighed, put his cup of tea aside and put a hand on Merlin's arm.

"Some of the elders told me not to inform you yet. Call it my intuition, but I think I should not wait. Will you keep it a secret?"

Merlin squinted.

"I don't know, Iseldir. I can't promise you."

"That's why I trust you, always being honest."

He bowed his head pensive for a moment and said; "My heart is heavy, my friend."

Merlin took his hand and patted him in sympathy.

"Since I was acknowledged as a druid I got some relics to keep from my dad. He got them from his dad and so back ages and ages. They're in an old box you can only open with magic. I am the only one who knows how to open it, till I pass it on to someone else. I saved it all my life. Now we have our places in the forest of Ealdor Manor, we have put our valuable thinks in our sacred cave. Not even you know the existence."

"I do know it exists. I sensed it. But I've never bothered to find its location."

Iseldir raised his eyebrows to Merlin.

"You do? Do you?"

He shrugged and went on.

"It is stolen."

He sobbed and put his face in his hands.

Merlin frowned. "I am sorry", he said, wondering why some relics could have more than an emotional value, "those relics are important to you and your people?"

The druid's expression was one of utter surprise.

"My dear Merlin", he exclaimed, "of course they are. They are powerful objects of magic."

Merlin felt dark clouds coming in. A shiver through his spine.

He shook it off and asked trying to sound rather unconcerned; "Can't you replace them?"

"You know better!"

"I'm sorry. It's just er, I'm sort of not ready for bad news, I think."

Iseldir smiled forgiving and understanding.

"I know, I know. Yet, in the wrong hands....."

"I see."

A silence lingered on.

"What's in it?"

"I can't tell you. It's too important."

"I thought you trusted me with your life", Merlin snapped. He sighed for his impatience. "I'm sorry Iseldir. I'm grateful for your help and protection. We would be dead by now hadn't you defended us. But please, tell me all."

At that moment Arthur and Morgana entered. Merlin lifted the spell. Iseldir understood and raised. "I was just about to go", he said greeting the two, "Shall we meet somewhere tomorrow?"

"I'll meet you only when you're ready to talk."

His eyes a darker shade of black now.

Arthur knew that look.

Merlin nodded only shortly to the druid and looked at him leaving.

Just before he turned to Arthur there were loud noises at the entrance.

In a split second, he stood next to Iseldir.

Leon and Elyan stumbled in, followed by a large group of druids. In the midst of them a struggling young man, tied up, protesting with stifled sounds.

Merlin froze all but the druids.

"Is he the so-called thief?"

They all agreed.

"By bringing him in here, you can't keep it a secret."

The looked at each other.

"So be it", Iseldir said.

He unfroze his friends.

"What have we got here?"

They all talked at the same time.

"Quiet", Iseldir roared with a surprising force.

He stepped forward.

"Did you steal my box?" He asked the young man. His eyes glowed with anger.

The prisoner just looked back with an indifferent expression. Merlin felt his magic flow restlessly. Under his breath, he put a spell on the man and took the piece of cloth away from the mouth of the prisoner.

"Your name?"

Even Iseldir startled at the demanding power in his voice.

The man stuttered for a moment, not able to hold himself back; "Julius Borden." "

"Fuck", he exclaimed, squinting at Merlin. Something dawned in his widening eyes and he said; "You must be Emrys. I'd kneel for you if I could."

The voice and the name of the man stirred something unknown in Merlin's mind. He scanned every inch of him, no weapons, no poison, no nothing but he was hiding his magic. Apart from the stealing, he sounded sincere.

"How do you know my name?"

"I was hoping to find you."

"Why?"

"I am here to help you."

The druids protested loudly.

"I didn't know I was looking for help?"

He put the cloth back in his mouth and asked Freia to take the man in his office.

Iseldir protested. "He's not a common criminal. What if he escaped?"

"You doubt me?"

By the look on the faces around him, he had been blunter than even his friends were used to. Iseldir shot an angry and frightened look at him.

He took Arthur with him and walked to his office. Elena read the man his rights and Freia was sitting intimidating close to Julius Borden. Merlin knew that pose on her. It didn't work. The man didn't answer any question. He only laughed, shrugged or yawned, sitting too relaxed in his chair. After half an hour Merlin stopped the interrogation.

"Would you please give him something to drink and some food? And please let him sleep in one of your best rooms."

Freia and Elena took him away.

"Julius", Merlin called when they walked him away, "Don't even try to escape, you wouldn't live." The man nodded shortly.

"Now, what is happening?"

"I haven't the faintest", Merlin gestured dramatically.

They walked back to the main hall. Most of the people were gone to bed. Morgana and Iseldir were sitting by the fire. They joined and grabbed some wine. Even Iseldir was holding on to a glass.

"If _you_ are drinking, things must be really bad."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"I can't tell you how bad."

Merlin gulped down his glass.

"Good", he said, "then I'll release the man tomorrow morning."

"You can't", Iseldir jumped out of his chair.

Merlin shrugged.

"Try me. This Julius is telling nothing. And you won't either, so you leave me no choice. I can't stand people lying to me, let alone if they call themselves friends. I hate it even more if you hide the truth from me. I trusted you with my life. I say goodnight."

To both Morgana and Arthur, this was a whole new side of Merlin. He was magisterial, detached and at the same time pissed off. A volcano about to burst. Arthur could feel the energy bubbling underneath his cool authority.

Iseldir left, obedient, with his head down and silent.

Arthur grabbed his arm. "Merlin. What the fuck is going on?"

With eyes almost black he looked at Arthur and blinked as if he hadn't noticed him before.

"I don't know", he spatted out the words. "Something is stolen. Nobody wants to talk about it. Case closed."

He turned around.

"Go to bed. I have to go out."

Morgana raised her eyebrows. Arthur's mouth fell open. "Don't tell me what to do."

"I just did."

He grabbed his jacket and left the Manor. The slamming of the large front door echoed through the building.

Popping out of nowhere, he startled Julius, sleeping in his rather warm cell. Was he able to use magic for it? Rubbing his eyes he stared at the angry sorcerer.

"What?"

"What is it you stole from the druids?"

"Aren't you wondering why they won't tell you?"

Merlin tried to look indifferent. He did wonder exactly that. He wondered also how the man could be as relaxed as if he was in his own home instead of in a prison cell in the middle of the night.

"Why?"

"Because", he raised from his bed, "They know if they tell you, you will be mad as hell."

Merlin frowned. They locked eyes with each other.

"I will tell you."

"You're not afraid I might be mad?"

He shook his head, straightened his back and leaned to the wall. "I'm only here to help you. You have every right to be mad, but, hey, don't kill the messenger."

"I won't."

"Hundreds of years ago a wise man built a tomb to hide something very valuable to mankind. His name was Ashkanar."

The name didn't ring a bell for Merlin. But his magic woke and stirred restlessly.

"He broke the key to the tomb in three equal parts and scattered them over the country."

The moonlight fell in three equal parts on the floor through the small window, right on the little lamb, Merlin thought.

"It took me years to find the first part."

"Let me guess; the druids had the second part?"

Julius pointed his finger to him and nodded. "Exactly."

"So, er....what's in the tomb?"

The man took in a sharp breath.

"Something to balance the world."

"Is it out of balance?"

"I should think so. As far as I know, you are the last dragonlord. I haven't seen many dragons around lately, have you?"

Merlin tilted his head, his brows frowned and he kept staring at Julius. Then it dawned on him. It was all about a new life. He gasped for air. His eyes widened. Magic and adrenaline made his heart pound like hell. Stuttering and panting he gripped Julius by his shirt.

"A dragon egg? Realy? A dragon egg?"

He shouted angrily.

"Fuck! If that would be true. You swear?"

Julius calmly replied, "It's the truth."

"Tell me", he whispered, "why would anyone keep that a secret for me?"

Merlin let him go and fell on his knees. His face was a mess. Tears streamed down. He didn't bother to wipe the snot away clutching his fist in the air. His reaction on lies, half-truths and any dishonesty was his weakest spot. Meeting distrust his biggest fear. His howling was heard in the police station and through the city of Ealdor. The earth shivered to feel for those who couldn't sleep or waited for him to come home.

He tried to get a grip on himself again.

"Where's the third part of the key?"

He answered immediately; "In the vaults of Camelot."

Frantic, Merlin shifted to the snow-white parc of Ealdor. No need to summon the dragon. Kilgharrah, alarmed by the sound of his warlock and the shiver of the earth, was flying above the Manor. The dragon slid in the snow next to Merlin.

_O, dear. You're a human wreck._

Tears froze on his face. Kilgharrah opened his wings for shelter. Merlin climbed on one of his legs and laid down in fetal position. Gently he breathed warmth to him and waited. Finally, Merlin sat back and caressed the leathery skin of his old friend.

"I want to trust people with my life."

His voice was dark.

"I want them to trust me with their life. Simply can't stand it when they lie." Spatting the words he moaned.

_Ah. that's where you lost your temper._

"It hurts."

_I know. It goes back a long time. Something isn't healed yet within you._

"Yeah. Probably."

_Did your prince lie to you?_

"No. No. He would never lie to me."

_Good._

Merlin climbed off his foot and walked to his head. He rubbed the soft spot on his nose and lost himself a while in the big shining eye.

"How would you feel", Merlin pointed his finger to the dragon, "if people knew", he hesitated, "if people knew there was a dragon egg, somewhere, and they didn't tell you?"

_If I didn't know I wouldn't care._

He chuckled a little. "How about if you found out?"

_I_ _would be so very happy with the egg and I probably would kill the ones who hid it for me._

.... _I see your point_.

Merlin leaned into the head of his old friend.

"The third part of the key is in the vaults of Camelot. Oh, and by the way, could you cure Lance?"

Kilgharrah didn't answer that, seeing two people coming to them. A hand was on his shoulder, warm and firm.

"Merlin", Arthur whispered in his neck, "Merlin. Are you alright?"

He leaned back and Arthur held him.

_Why don't you tell us what is going on, dear warlock?_

He sighed and invited Arthur and Morgana in the sheltered space the dragon's wings offered. They sat close together on his foot. Kilgharrah bowed his long neck and looked at them, almost with a smile. It took him a lot of restraint to simply tell the facts and not ventilate his anger. They listened to him with widened eyes. The possibility of a dragon egg, somewhere, somehow, even to them it almost was too good to be true.

"Only", Merlin ended, "the third part of the key is in the vaults of Camelot. And there it ends."

_Not necessarily so. I didn't know about the egg. Even dragons don't know everything. Now that I do, I see how destiny is shifting. You'll come up with something, young warlock, as soon as you're over your temper._

His voice was calming and full of hope.

"We will help you", Morgana said, "like we always do."

"Let's sleep on it, for the hours that are left of this night", Arthur's persuasive voice sounded reasonable.

They said goodbye to the dragon and walked to Ealdor Manor through the fresh snow. As silent as they could be, they went inside. Arthur undressed Merlin, shove him in the bed and put an extra duvet on him. He quickly undressed and spooned with his shivering boyfriend. They fell asleep almost immediately.

Only Merlin tossed and turned in his sleep, he mumbled constantly and even cried for a while.

Arthur knew all he could do was hold him, comfort him and keep him warm.

More and more he was aware, that being all the magic of the world, had its price.

How long could he go on like this?


	11. Camelot revisited

He smelled of fear.

Towering above him, Merlin shouted; "Now talk to me,"

Every one of his friends with magic was in the cubicle, floating high above the mountains. Walls without windows. The floor gave a spectacular yet somewhat frightening view of the mountains. It would immediately give away if one lied. All was a mere display of his power. He wanted to show off, to let them feel how he was magic. Morgana loved it, as did Mordred. Hunith didn't look down at all, impressed by her son's strength. Gaius was mildly amused. He knew his nephew. It was about time he showed his true power. Alice was sitting in the corner, sick with fear of heights. Cenred switched his eyes constantly from the radiant Merlin to the view. Julius seemed his always indifferent self, slightly jealous by the devotion the others showed. Kilgharra, not impressed, tuned in via Merlin.

Iseldir blinked and raised his hands as if he wanted to defend himself from the rage of his former friend.

"The three parts of the key, when united, form a Triskelion. With runes in the druid's tongue."

Merlin waved his hands and showed the three parts in 3D, circling on the wall.

Gaius stepped forward and put on his glasses.

"The bind runes are in three", he mentioned to Iseldir, "that's rare."

"True", the man agreed, "therefore it is not a key, it is a trap."

"Nonsense", Merlin stated. But the floor didn't open to Iseldir.

"It's what Ashkanar wanted to believe everyone to prevent people from going there", Julius stated.

 _Fascinating. They rotate anti-clockwise_.

Merlin stepped next to Gaius.

"Do they rotate anti-clockwise?"

Gaius studied some more. "They do."

"Clockwise means prosperity. Anti-Clockwise means doom."

Gaius and Merlin both squinted to Iseldir.

"And where is the tomb of Ashkanar?"

"We don't know."

"You don't know or you won't tell?"

Iseldir sighed.

"Only when the Triskelion is complete, the tomb will show itself."

Merlin nodded absently.

"Anything else you want to share?"

"No", he whispered.

"Than you may leave", Merlin gestured.

Iseldir raised slowly and said; "How?"

"Just walk through the wall and you'll be home."

The man was confused. He looked from the walls to Merlin and back.

"You can trust me", he said wearing a fake smile. "Oh. How stupid of me. You don't trust me. But do it anyway."

Iseldir walked to one of the walls, his face ashen and disappeared.

"The next important question is; How do we get to the vaults of Camelot?"

They all thought about it.

"Retrieve its former location and er....start digging?" Always pragmatic Cenred.

"Do we know its location?" Gaius asked.

 _I do_.

"Kilgharrah can help us with that."

"What if we would go there, as soon as the snow is gone and it's not cold anymore? In the meantime, we should make a plan. Do you agree?"

They all agreed.

While the cubicle slowly changed back into Merlin's office again they brainstormed about all possible plans to retrieve the Triskelion. Gwen brought in coffee and sandwiches and they filled in the others. Soon Ealdor Manor was buzzing again in anticipation. Although everyone kept an eye on him the first days, Julius was fully involved in the planning and slept in the only spare room left in Elyan's wing. He discussed runes with Gaius, made a new potion together with Hunith against headaches and he showed all the patience in the world with the twins. The boys embraced him with his rare skills of the catapult.

Only Morgana kept her distance. She couldn't tell why other than the man being in her dreams.

Merlin didn't bother.

The druids stayed in their forest. Only Arthur, fascinated with their culture, kept in touch with Iseldir. The man looked older, worried and all he kept saying was a warning against Borden and the Ashkanar's tomb. Even Arthur got tired of it in the end.

One afternoon in mid-February, Merlin and Arthur were cooking dinner while bantering in their new kitchen for their housewarming party. Merlin's house was ready and they just moved back home, together with Hunith and Elena and Freia. It was all beautifully renovated. The bedrooms were relocated, the bathroom made larger and the kitchen extended to the terrace with big sliding doors.

The door to Hunith's house was open and they heard their children laughing with their grandmother while baking muffins for dessert.

Elena and Freia came in with way too much to drink for everyone and admired the kitchen while they stored the booze away.

Soon, all of their friends arrived. Even Lance, a fragile shadow of his former self, sitting in a wheelchair. They all wandered around the rooms, they drank, ate and had fun. At one point, Merlin and Morgana were on the terrace with a blanket at one fo the fire baskets, drinking coffee and having a cigarillo.

"What if", Morgana started.

"Hey, that's my line", Merlin reposted.

Morgana pinched him. "What if, the Tomb of Ashkanar is a trap and Julius Borden can't be trusted?"

Merlin inhaled deep, took a sip of his coffee and locked eyes with Morgana.

"It could well be a trap, as a kind of protection for ill-doers. At least we are prepared. I think?"

She agreed.

"I have no reason whatsoever to not trust Borden."

She tilted her head.

"If I find out that anyone", he pointed his finger and waved it around him, "and I mean anyone, is not to be trusted", he whispered; "they wish they never were born."

She shivered and nodded slowly. They stood in silence. The fire crackered. The waxing moon shone its silvery light on the snow. A bird of prey squeaked.

"I believe you." She took his arm and they went back inside to the party. She could have told him, but she didn't. 

On a windless day in the first week of March, they drove to Camelot, following the flight of Kilgharrah high above them in the clear blue sky. Only to see for the drivers with magic. From Ealdor they went to the other side of the country, almost to the other shore.

Arthur drove Merlin's Jeep, their children and Hunith on the backseat of the car. Their faces plastered to the window, enjoying every view and asking their 'why's' and 'how's'. Merlin kept an eye on the dragon and the cars behind him. He talked rubbish to Arthur and answered his children at the same time. Arthur smiled to Hunith in the mirror. Arthur was happy with the action, Merlin was more than happy to be in the lead for this mission and so excited to find the third part of the key.

By the end of the morning, they were all seated on one of the hills in the area where Camelot was, according to the dragon. Fresh green young grass everywhere. Fragile leaves appearing on the trees. The boys were all in today's modern shining armour with red cloaks. It seemed appropriate for the old Camelot.

_There is a lot of old powerful magic here._

Merlin felt it too. The energy was pulsing like nowhere else. Magic vibrated all around them. As if it was the source to his magic.

 _I sense but I do not comprehend. Either the hill covers Camelot or it will appear on top of this hill. I wish I knew. If you choose wrong, both will be destroyed. Forever_.

Merlin wasn't sure he understood what Kilgharrah said. When he let his magic flow out he could feel old things. But he too wasn't sure.

"Would you be as kind as to help me see what is true?"

"Yes. Of course, I will", Morgana beamed at him.

"We must unite our forces and our hearts uniquely. To see what is right."

Morgana was in the middle of the group, on a blanket in the sun. Sleeping. With the help of Merlin, she had forced Camelot to be the subject of a seer-dream. Hunith and Gaius had drawn old runes in the sand. Protective candles in magical formations were placed in front of everyone. Together they formed a circle, partly to enhance her powers, partly to protect her. Merlin felt the energy of Camelot, almost like it was the source of his magic, where it all began. He never felt his magic as powerful as now and yet he never felt more insecure.

Hunith sensed it.

"Merlin", she said, when they all were seated, except Merlin, "You are born from magic, you are magic. You are the source of it. I can see the power and beauty of it in you."

They all listened quietly. Her voice clear and confident, as a mother to her child and at the same time as one colleague to another.

Merlin stopped pacing at the sound of her voice. He straightened his back and dried his sweaty shaken hands at his pants. "Thank you, mother", he smiled with love in his eyes. "Even if I am as powerful as you say I am, I sometimes need you to say it and believe in me."

"I do", Arthur said.

They all agreed.

Arthur saw him grow with confidence now. He could sense the old forces in his friend and it made him proud. Watching him he sent all his love out to this man of him. 

Distant now, Merlin walked to the middle of the group and calmly now started to chant words in the language of before mankind, before all things.

Till Morgana woke. Merlin kept her in a light trance so she could better concentrate on what she had seen in her dreams.

"I see stones falling.....thunder.....rumbling. It's dark, Merlin, it is so dark.....and you are all alone." She sobbed and grabbed him. There was no melody in her seer's voice. Low and hoarse. Joan and Tommy looked at her with widened eyes in Arthur's lap. "There is a white.....egg.....though. Shining."

Merlin held her close. The last visions in her dream came first, he understood.

She turned around and gazed smiling to the Camelot hill. "There's the beauty I remember.....from ages ago.....covered in magic."

She sighed.

Merlin waited.

"The hill is pure magic, Merlin. It's underneath.....I can see you.....I can see us.....our magic together.....in a whirlwind.....we.....raise Camelot.....and it's beautiful."

Merlin snapped her out of her trance.

She woke and looked around. "It was so wondrous", she said touched by the memory of her dream.

Merlin lifted the protective spells and they all grouped for a bite and something to drink out of the endless supply of Gaius car. Kilgharrah randomly shot thoughts at Merlin during their lunch, while he laid on the other hill, dozing in the spring sunshine.

_With all our powers combined, we can lift the spell. You, however, should take the lead._

No dangers?

_The only danger could be the time the magic can hold. You probably have hours to collect the third part of the Triskellion. But don't get distracted._

Or else?

_You'll merge into the magic. You'll vanish. For good._

Merlin gasped into the direction of the dragon. His tuna-sandwich hung in midair. He had not considered this to be a dangerous mission.

"Anything wrong?" He looked into the confident eyes of Arthur. "No, no", he hastily recovered, "we only have.... hours to find it."

"Good, that's good", Arthur said.

"We just have to stick to the plan and not get distracted", Merlin told him.

"Yes, no worries love. Straight to the vaults and back home again."

Smiling because of the almost boyish charm of his friend, he said; "It will be a place protected and forced by magic. You might wander around and easily get distracted."

"I see", he squinted and looked at the group of friends around him. "Maybe only you and I go in?"

"You think we can stop them?"

"Nah, probably not."

"Exactly. We have to warn them and....wait. Hunith can help."

He walked over to his mother and discussed it with her. She agreed, being a true grandmother, to stay behind with the twins. "I could attach strings to each and everyone, before they go in, just in case?" And so she did. They all were informed and stood to wait for Morgana, Alice, Cenred, Mordred, Gaius and Julius to divert their powers to Merlin. He was already busy, together with Kilgharrah to pull off the layers of magic one by one.

Powerful and confident he stood in front of them. Waving his hands elegantly in intricate patterns, speaking in the old language.

In front of them, the hill they were looking at, changed time and again. Stirring like a fata morgana in the desert till all layers were gone. For a moment a dark hole was the only thing visible. Merlin and the dragon roared together, summoning what laid waiting in there. In the quiet, the air stirred one more time. Piece by piece Camelot revived, till it stood there, majestic, bright and white shining in the sun.

Silent and impressed they walked over the first bridge to the lower town, wandered around and eventually into the castle.

According to plan they split into three groups. Arthur would go up for the keys of the vault in his chambers, the boys would take guarding positions in the central part, just in case. Merlin with the rest of his friends went straight down to the vaults to wait for the keys.

Arthur walked purposefully up the stairs and through the hallways to his chambers. When he entered his room he gasped. Overwhelming memories swept through his mind. How vivid it all was. So long ago and yet he found himself again, carrying the heavy burden of nobility back in the dark ages. The devastating reign of his father. How he knew Merin to be his friend and both denying their feelings. How confusing it was, this was his memory now.

He shook his head to get rid of the shadows of the past and walked to the cupboard where he grabbed the old and heavy keys and stumbled out of the room again.

On his way down to the vaults, he couldn't help himself but peek into the throne room.

The round table, his round table was standing there. He sat in the chair for the king for a moment and sighed. How many lives could one remember? He didn't need a round table nowadays. In Merlin's family of friends, there was equality. Each and everyone was valuable.

Somewhere a bell rang.

He shouldn't linger here.

The great door opened.

"Though I'd find you here", Leon greeted him, "Weird, isn't it? I do remember. I mean our past. Still, it's weird, so long ago."

Arthur smiled, looking around.

"Did Merlin send you?"

Leon nodded. "Yeah, he did. Afraid you got lost."

They both smiled knowingly and went downstairs.


	12. The Triskelion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading.

They all met at the dark entry of the vaults.

"Now. It's probably in a box or something so let's start in the back and check every box, casket or case", Merlin instructed after Arthur opened the heavy doors.

He let light orbs flowed gently down the stairs. The vaults consisted of large caves, one where Kilgharrah once was prisoned. It was also the burial place for kings and nobles of Camelot. Underneath was the vast water supply in various cisterns. Behind the doors was a huge space, stacked with treasures and relics, forbidden magical objects and books. The air was stale, not touched in ages. Layers of dust connected with cobwebs.

They inspected dozen of little boxes and found old rings of no value or with old runes on it, iron bracelets used to contain someone's magic.

At first, it was fun, every new box they opened. The surprise what would be in it. But after a while, Merlin got a little worried about the number of boxes they had checked and the number still to go. The magic was holding steady for now. He had no idea how much longer and how he would know when to leave, in time preferably.

At last, Morgana found it.

She had an eye for beautiful jewellery boxes and one, with a lot of gold and blue velvet, contained the last part of the triskelion.

They all cheered and shouted.

_You have to leave now._

Merlin startled.

_It's slowly deteriorating top down._

He reached out for his mother to keep the chords strong and ready to use. Then he silenced everyone and asked them calmly to follow him into the quickest route outside. He ordered the orbs to show them the way through the tunnel. In his past, a well known and often used escape route in times of need.

"Follow the lights. Don't stop till you see Hunith."

He waited till every one of his friends was walking down. He and Arthur were the last. Arthur didn't panic although he knew the calm tone in his friend's voice.

"Why?"

Merlin looked at him when they walked as fast as they could through the shallow space.

"We haven't much time left. This is the quickest way. Hunith is stand-by to pull us out. In case of...."

When they left the tunnel, outside off Camelot and looked back, only the shapes of the lower town were vaguely visible.

Hunith hugged them relieved. The twins jumped in their arms excited of the spectacle they viewed, not aware of any danger.

Together with Kilgharrah, Merlin put back all the layers of magic until there was nothing more to see then a beautiful hill, like the ones around them.

That night they all lingered around the fireplace in the Manor, telling over and over again what they all had seen. Each one had stirred inexplicable memories of Camelot and stories to tell.

Long past midnight Arthur drove his almost sleeping family at home. They agreed earlier Merlin would keep the last part and tomorrow after a much-needed sleep in, they would bring all the parts together and take it from there.

They put their sleeping kids to bed, without bothering to fully undress them, fed the cat, dropped their clothes and dived under the duvet. Spring might have begun, the nights were still wintery cold. They spooned till they got warm again. Merlin felt Arthurs cock rise against his bottom. He wet his arse and let Arthur enter, slowly and calm. Parts of his magic left his body on their own accord and lifted the duvet. Shining gold dust was covering them like a magical blanket, till they both came with unknown intensity.

In the afterglow, both their skin tickled. A new experience for Arthur.

"What did you do, love?"

"I did nothing. My magic sort of approved of us, again. You know?"

"No."

Merlin turned around, still seeing a vague golden mist. Even Arthur did seem to give light. From within.

"I am magic. It has also a kind of its own will to show it disapproves of things and people. It approves of you. Wants to make you part of not only me but also....er....kind of wants to involve you in my magic."

Arthur thought about that, resting his chin on Merlin's head.

"I've never had that pricking of my skin though?"

"I think it conquers you step by step."

They both chuckled and slowly drifted away in a shared dream, they didn't know they were sharing it.

Next morning the twins woke them by jumping on their bed. Babbling they pushed themselves in between their dads, under the duvet.

"You have gold in your hair", Tommy said to Arthur, clinging his body to him and stroking through his blond hair."

Merlin lifted his head, Arthur's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, it's fairy dust", he said, "your father couldn't sleep."

At their age, they still accepted those answers.

After dozing and cuddling some more, Arthur said; "Why don't you get dressed with Merlin and I'll make us breakfast?"

They all agreed and half an hour later they were enjoying Arthurs pancakes with way too much syrup.

"Where did you learn to make this delicious food?"

"I'm to blame for that", Hunith said upon entering. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help noticing this mouthwatering scent."

When Arthur or Merlin cooked, there was always plenty of everything.

After his third pancake, Merlin said; "I think I'm going to find Iseldir if you don't mind."

Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"How come?"

"Dunno. Give him the chance to be there when we unite the parts of the Triskelion."

"That's very kind of you", Arthur said with a smile on his face.

Merlin shrugged, hugged his children and went out; "See ya all in the Manor."

Smoking his cigarillo he walked through the parc. Nature was ready to burst with a few more sunny days. Little pieces of green were appearing in the black soils. Buds in the trees were an inch from opening. Birds sang vividly and were grubbing up worms. He loved the energy of spring, new life, new possibilities. He walked past Morgana's and Gwaine's house. The new roof was ready. Soon they could start furnishing it. Leon's house wasn't rebuilt. He decided to extend his little office. Plenty of room for him. On the place of his house, he wanted to make a herbal garden like the one in Camelot. Gaius helped him already with details of it. The farm of Gwen and Lance was repaired and they were planning with local farmers to start farming. It had all turned out well in the end.

Entering the Druid's forest, tiny bells were ringing. In a short time, it had become a mystical place.

In the centre, in the big old trees, they had build houses, amazingly comfortable. A little stream provided them with water. They cultivated some parts to grow their vegetables. Herbs they found in the wild or Leon's garden.

From a small gathering around the fire in the middle of their village, Iseldir raised and greeted him.

"Emrys."

"Iseldir."

The man waited, confident as the leader of the druids, yet not knowing what to expect from his former friend.

"It is a long way to start all over again."

The druid squinted.

"We have time."

"That's all we have indeed."

They stared into the flames for a while.

"Would it be a start to invite you to our little meeting this morning to complete the Triskelion?"

The humming from the druids around the fire sounded agreeing.

Slowly the man nodded and stretched out his arm to Merlin. He took it and bowed his head a little.

"Give me five minutes and I'll come with you."

In a fresh cloak and with a little booklet in his hands, he walked in silence next to Merlin back to the Manor. Hunith met them at the door. She kissed her son on his cheek.

"I'm proud of you."

The twins jumped in his arms immediately.

"I have missed you", Tommy said, hugging the man.

"And I have missed you two too."

Arthur stood next to Julian at one of the windows and observed the man's reactions.

He stiffened at first sight, then shrugged and met Merlin's eyes.

Putting down the twins, Iseldir looked around and walked straight to Borden. The man raised his eyebrows but stepped forward. They shook hands and stammered some excuses.

Borden took a part of the Triskelion out of his pocket and handed it to Iseldir carefully.

"I...er...I believe this is yours."

"It's ours", the druid simply stated and accepted it.

"Would you be as kind as to step forward?"

They all came to the table. Merlin had placed a little black box on it with blue velvet inside.

"Iseldir?"

The man hesitated only for a moment and put his part in the box.

"Julius?"

He looked around and nodded. From his pocket, he retrieved the second part and placed in the box. The parts glowed before they melt together to one part.

"Morgana?"

Frowning she came forward and with shaky hands, she put the third part in the empty spot.

It sizzled and melted shining to the Triskelion. The ones with magic felt the pulsing power of the object.

 _I can feel it._ The dragon sent him images of a huge black tower in the middle of nowhere. _The Triskelion will lead you._

"I don't know if you all approve, but now the Triskelion is complete, it will lead us the way to the Tomb of Ashkanar."

He carefully closed the box and protected it with a few waves of his hands.

Arthur still was in awe every time Merlin's eyes glowed gold.

"We'll go tomorrow to collect the dragon's egg,"

"We?"

"Most of the boys."

Iseldir nodded.

"We'll guide you from a distance and protect the Estate."

"Thank you."

When he left he gave Merlin a little old booklet with a faint drawing of the Triskelion on the outside. Inside was even to Merlin, an unknown scribbling.

"We can't read it, but it is written by Ashkanar. Maybe you'll find a way to translate it."

Merlin accepted it gratefully.

With his friends, he prepared the cars for their trip tomorrow and talked about their plan. It would be more than a days ride, according to Kilgharrah so they would be camping outside. They all looked forward to sleeping outside around a campfire.

In the evening at Merlin's place Gaius and he worked on translating the text in the little booklet. It was of no use, they couldn't find any key to translate it nor find any source of the strange formed letters. They had to do it on their own. 


	13. The Tomb of Ashkanar

Early morning they drove. Arthur was steering his SUV with Merlin next to him and Gwaine and Lance still sleepy in the backseat of the car. Cenred drove the rest of the boys in his black van. Morgana, Hunith and Gwen waved them goodbye, standing in the springtime haze. Merlin kept the image of the three in his memory. The Triskelion in his hand glowed to indicate they should take a right turn. Now and then he saw a glimpse of Kilgharrah's dark wings.

It was a long ride.

At the end of the afternoon, the dragon showed them a perfect spot for the night. It was an old deserted camping site with nice fresh grass around an old firepit. They unpacked their sleeping bags and stuff, gathered wood and made a fire. Burgers and beer it was for dinner.

Halfway the next day they got close to the Tomb, making a short stop for lunch. Because they all could do with some coffee, Merlin lit a fire and Julius boiled the water to make an acceptable strong coffee.

Together with Lance, their coffee in their hands, they wandered off to have a look around the area. He could see the Tomb from a walking distance.

"What if it was true and I would go home tonight with a dragon egg and hatch it?"

Lance smiled.

"You will my friend, you will."

Would there also be a new dragonlord or would Kilgharrah just die? He thought.

_I don't know. Your destiny is blurred today._

Are you in my head?

_Yes, young warlock, on days like this I am. And only a child of yours could be the next dragonlord._

A child of his own, he sighed. How would that be?

When they came back to their spot he immediately felt something was wrong. Their friends all were laying down, looking pale, sick and in a deep sleep.

Lance stumbled to Gwen.

Merlin knelt besides Arthur. His head felt feverish and he wouldn't wake up. He released all of his magic and healed them, but it would take hours if not more to wake them up. Healing them he felt traces of ancient dark magic. It drained him. Lance didn't take more than a sip of his coffee, his stomach still not fully cured of his injuries. His magic protected him, he guessed.

Must have been Julian!

Where was he?

Did he?

No.

He couldn't, could he?

After he took care of his friends he looked for his bag with the Triskelion.

Empty of course.

They left running for Julius, raging with anger and Merlin being deadly tired.

How could he have been so blind? Guilt overwhelmed him. He should have followed Iseldir's guiding.

Within a hundred yards they overtook him.

Panting they grabbed his arms.

With no more than a gesture he threw Merlin and Lance on their back, his eyes pitch black and a determined expression on his face.

As soon as Merlin got his breath back he raised and saw Julius at the foot of the Tomb.

He followed him inside. At the top of the narrow stairs, he saw him putting the Triskelion in the matching opening on the door. It opened creaking, Merlin heard when he almost reached him.

A sudden breeze blew a cloud of yellow dust right in Julius's face and choked him to death. His body fell off the stairs.

Merlin ducked and held an arm for his face.

Was it a trap after all?

He waited and hesitated.

He released what was left of his magic and protected himself.

Carefully he raised.

He heard Lance's footstep running up the stairs.

"No", he shouted.

A blast of arrows pierced Lance, he dropped at Merlin's feet.

Shit. He saved his life. But no, this couldn't be happening.

He took his friend in his arms and cried.

Carefully he shifted outside the tomb and laid Lance in the shadow.

He roared for Kilgharrah and summoned to heal him.

Then he went in again.

On the stairs, the little booklet had fallen out of his bag. It laid open right in the middle. With a glance, he saw readable signs now. It must have been a spell which was lifted by opening the Tomb. He read through it quickly. The first part was about how the tomb was built and why in full detail. In the end, it spoke of the threats when entered by evil people. What would have happened when he had been the first to enter? Would that had saved two lives? He would never know.

The last sentence bothered Merlin; If you are granted access and when you can collect the egg, as only dragonlords can, it will be both the end and the beginning.

He asked Kilgharrah.

 _You don't want to hear its meaning, young warlock_.

"I have no other option. Have I?"

_As Iseldir said, it's a trap. As soon as you collect the egg, the tomb will collapse completely._

"And you're telling me now?"

_Would it have made any difference?_

Merlin chuckled. It wouldn't. He simply had to collect the dragon's egg, no matter what costs.

He raised slowly.

Nothing happened when he entered the circular room.

From an opening above a sunbeam fell on a magnificent egg standing on a black pillar. It was shining white with a shade of blue and much bigger than he expected.

Approaching the egg, he felt it was alive inside of it and reaching out to him.

He cupped the egg, sighed and lifted it up and carefully placed it in his torn bag.

Immediately the Tomb shivered, the floor shook.

He dived for the stairs and ran down as quick as he could.

Around him, the Tomb deteriorated. Stones tumbled down. Dust blinded him. The noise of the tumbling stones was deafening.

He kept moving.

With a little shield, he protected himself and the dragon's egg.

It wasn't enough.

He couldn't see.

He had to keep moving.

All dark around him.

His magic somehow refused to obey.

His source was exhausted.

Light orbs extinguished within seconds.

Almost there, he thought.

Keep moving.

A few steps.

I can make it.

The egg will be safe.

He had to keep going.

Run.

Jump.

Faster.

But he couldn't.

Pain overwhelmed his body, his mind.

Yet he felt lightheaded and sad at the same time before it all went dark.

Perceval was the first to wake with a sour stomach and a dreadful pain in his head. He looked around and found his friends sleeping around him. He startled. No sight of Merlin though. When he raised, his whole body aching, he didn't see Julius either. He fetched water from the nearby stream and washed his face to feel a little better. He used the water to wake his friends one by one. They all felt sick, Elyan puked.

"What happened?" Arthur moaned, "Merlin?"

"He is not here", Percival answered hoarsely, "neither is Lance nor Julius."

Arthur squinted.

"It must have been the coffee. Could Julias have messed with it?"

Mordred inspected some of the cups laying around them. "Poisoned", he stated.

"Well, we're not dead. Must be Merlin's doing", Leon suggested while shaking his head to wake up.

"But where are they?"

"To the Tomb, I do not doubt it", Arthur answered Leon.

"So let's go after them, they might need help."

They went as fast as they could in the direction of the Tomb, towering in the valley beneath them.

They were close when the earth started to tremble and before their eyes, in a matter of minutes, the Tomb collapsed loudly in a cloud of dust.

When the dust came down, nothing was left but a deadly silence.

They ran to the ruins to find the dead body of Julius.

No trace of Lance.

No trace of Merlin.

Arthur was pale and desperate.

Clawing his hands through the debris, finding nothing.

They were all devastated.

Where could they be?

What could have happened?


	14. The waiting

It was a weary group of dirty and dead tired boys, beaten and sad returning home without any victory. Both Merlin and Lance were nowhere to be found, not even a little trace of him. So, they gave up, reluctantly. They hardly slept and ate even less. In silence, they drove home to face their friends. Arthur had made a short call to Gaius just to inform him. Gaius didn't ask much but said he would consult the druids immediately.

His children ran out of the Manor as soon as they saw their father's car.

"Where's my daddy?" Joan asked.

Arthur hugged her with tears in his eyes.

"I don't know sweety, we can't find him."

Tommy looked angry. He frowned and said; "He promised to be back so we'll just wait."

Arthur sighed and was hugged by a red-eyed Hunith.

"He'll be back?", she sobbed.

They were all taken aback and ate Huntih's stew in silence at the veranda.

Gaius came back from the druids with a faint smile on his calm face.

"For what it's worth", he started standing in front of his friends, "the druids can still....feel his presence. Faint. They would know if he had", he hesitated, "gone."

Arthur cleared his throat.

"Merlin", his voice broke.

Gwen raised, walked to him and hugged him from behind with wet cheeks.

"Merlin", Arthur started again, his voice low, "told me, after the fight, he had been behind the veil."

Morgana and Hunith startled and held their breath.

Gaius just bowed his head and grabbed Alice's hand.

"He came back. Didn't he? So", he clenched his fists and hit the table hard, "he will come back again." The boys cheered wearily to that.

Tommy crawled into his lap and put his arms around Arthur's neck.

"I, we, can't live without him. Can we? We can't live without Lance either."

Gaius nodded slowly and whispered; "He will come back, I am sure of, eventually. Of Lance, I know nothing."

After dinner, everyone went to their homes, promising to be there if Arthur or Gwen needed them. Arthur drove his children and Hunith home and they both helped them to shower and brought them to bed. Together with Hunith, he tidied the house a bit. She lit the heard for him before she left, assuring him she would be there for him, even if it was in the middle of the night.

He sat in his chair in front of the fire. Everything looked different. His empty chair, his pack of cigarilloes. "God", he dropped his face in his hands, "where are you, Merlin?"

He jumped at a knock on the door, pulling it open in seconds only to see Gaius friendly face and Alice. His head felt as he invited them in.

"I'm sorry. Did you think.....?"

"Yes, of course. He is magic, isn't he? He could knock on my door anytime."

He fell in his chair. They shove two other chairs close to him. It almost did hurt to see Gaius sitting in Merlin's chair. He shook his head, he was making himself crazy only by thinking. He raised and took Gaius favourite whiskey out of the sideboard and three glasses.

"Drink", he commanded.

They obeyed.

He gulped it down, welcoming the burning in his throat. He poured another one before he fell in his chair again.

After sipping Gaius spoke. "I need to speak with you. Things you should know."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Well, get on with it."

Gaius nodded.

"First of all, I want to know if Merlin did mention anything else about the Veil?"

He shook his head, trying to recall what Merlin had told him, that afternoon after the fight and after the sex, he painfully remembered.

"Not much. The veil needed two sides repair and of course, he was the one to go in. It was overwhelming so he didn't want to talk about it."

Gaius put a hand on his arm.

"Dear Arthur, do you realise, no mortal would ever get out of there, without paying a price, you know, another death?"

Arthur frowned. He knew. Merlin had told him about the balance if Morgause wanted to get out of there she needed another death to change places.

"Are you suggesting Merlin killed someone to get out?"

"No my friend, I know him all my life. Still, no mortal has returned from behind the Veil, ever."

They sat awhile each with their thoughts. The burning wood cracked. Tommy snored a little. The cat jumped in his lap, purring immediately.

"No mortal, huh?"Arthur finally said.

He raised to get his drink and froze.

"Before he left us to go to repair the Veil he said: Don't worry. I will return. I cannot die."

He locked eyes with Gaius, who waited calmly with the most caring of expressions in his eyes, while Alice leaned in on him.

"I cannot die. Is that what you mean? No mortal could have done what he did, whatever he did, so, er....he is immortal?"

Gaius only nodded slowly. Arthur gasped, he almost choked in his whiskey.

He sat back and raised again, paced through the kitchen, trying to comprehend it all. He ended in front of Gaius, his hand fluttered in the air.

"There might be more to it, but for now it's the best news I've heard in days."

His colour was back on his cheeks, the light back in his eyes. Gaius raised and hugged him intensely.

He patted him on his back and said; "There's more to it indeed, but for now, don't despair, just wait. And it is not for us to tell others."

When he walked them out, Alice said; "I'm certain his dragon will not stop searching for them", and kissed him goodnight.

After a few more drinks he went to the empty bed and tossed and turned before he fell asleep.

He woke in the middle of the night finding his children sleeping next to him in the empty spot and he loved them for it.

The next morning Kilgharrah landed softly, most undragonly in front of the manor. Gaius stepped out and greeted him.

"Would you be as kind as to lift a knight of my back?"

He gasped. Then he understood and called for the boys. They came, barely awake, let alone dressed. They climbed on the dragon's back and carefully lifted Lance. Big nasty wounds in his chest. Pale as snow. His friends brought him inside.

"What happened?" Gaius asked.

"He saved Merlin's life and was taken down by some arrows. He...er...I"

The dragon looked away.

Gaius raised his eyebrows, both.

"Well, he should be dead. I couldn't let it happen. Getting weaker by the day. You know?"

Gaius smiled. "I know, my dear old friend. Couldn't be happier."

The dragon kind of chuckled.

"Would you be as kind as to fetch an empty bottle or two? I prescribe some dragon tears, three times a day."

After that, two Weeks passed. Lance recovered bit by bit.

Still no sign of Merlin.

Hunith was desperate and couldn't believe how calm Arthur was.

Even the boys were sort of angry with him, they wanted action.

Arthur only smiled and asked for patience; "He will back in time."

Morgana asked him; "Do you know more than we do?"

He nodded slowly.

"I do indeed. I am not supposed to know and, more important, Merlin is not yet to know I know."

She got a puzzled expression on her face but for once she let him get away with it.

"Oh, and please carry on with the preparation for the wedding."

The twins were asking for Merlin every day and at least one of them crept in Arthur's bed during the night.

In the third week, however, on a lovely spring evening, Kilgharrah landed on the grass.

Hunith and Arthur were the first to meet him.

"Merlin is alright. He is wounded and deadly tired, so, er....he is on revalidation, one could say. No need to worry."

Hunith hugged the dragon. Or better, she flung herself to one of his feet. He bowed to her and breathed on her, just a little. To give her comfort and let her sleep for once.

When they walked back to their house, Hunith sighed and said, "I feel so much better now we know something, don't you?"

Arthur held her close and said with his chin on her head. "Trust me, he is all right and will be back."

She wriggled out of his arms.

"How come you are so sure of it, from the start?"

Arthur took his time to answer and looked into her eyes.

"You have magic yourself."

She agreed.

"Has there ever been a moment that you used too much of it?"

"Oh yes, there have been times I was drained, my body was sick and my mind was empty and I couldn't make so much as a flame."

"What did you do?"

She frowned.

"I left Ealdor and stayed with the Druids for a few weeks to recover...."

In her eyes, he saw she grasped it.

"So, he will come back", she sobbed, "thank you for making me understand."

He wasn't always that confident. In the late hours of the night, he often lay awake.

Longing for him. Missing him, needing him. His body, his wits, the banter, the love.

Even his anger and his secrets.

Sometimes in his dreams, he saw the gold. Nothing more. Only the glowing gold.


	15. The healing

He woke tranquil, carefree, lighthearted and with pain. A confusing state of mind, although not unpleasant. Shallowly he laid on his bed, made of soft light scented moss in the foot of a very large and old tree. The sunlight was filtered by the most beautiful green leaves. It wasn't heaven, he knew, he had seen his share of the veil. It couldn't be hell either, that he was sure off. He couldn't care less. Happy with being alone. Peaceful. Finally the rest his being was longing for. For too long.

Being thirsty, a cup of cold water appeared. When his stomach rumbled, bread and soft cheese jumped on a plate next to him. Or fresh raspberries, exactly what he wanted at that moment. Soon as he felt aroused, an elf sucked him till he came and fell asleep. Before he was getting cold, sheets of different fabric covered him. All his needs were taken care of with less than a thought.

His naked body though was severely damaged with deep cuts and nasty blue and yellow bruises. In his half-sleep, he was aware of soft hands rubbing salve on his skin. During his frightening dreams, he felt tinkling fingers touching his head gently. They took care of his recurring headaches. Soft voices in the old language sometimes talked to him. He didn't bother to listen nor wanted to understand it. Time went on like, forever.

One day, a faintly familiar voice sounded in his head; _Merlin_.

The voice disturbed his tranquillity.

It also touched his sudden longing for company.

So he answered in his head, the name came easily back to him. Kilgharrah. _Finally. I've been looking for you for weeks, young warlock. Take your time though._

Before he could respond, a shadow fell over his face.

He blinked and looked into green eyes.

A hand touched his arm.

"Emrys, welcome back."

Her voice was old but full of melody.

"Your mind, your body and your magic were in great need. You will recover though."

He drifted away in the sea of endless shades of green she was.

"Where....am....I?"

"You're home."

He frowned and felt the urge to get up.

She grabbed his hands and helped him raise. His legs felt wobbly but he managed to stand and take a few steps.

He looked around. It was the most beautiful place in nature he had ever been. Lush green everywhere, flowers with inexplicable colours and scents, animals he never heard off. Then it dawned on him. He was back in the universe he originated from, the magical world.

"Is this the end?"

She smiled at him.

"There's no end to you, only new beginnings. You needed to go back to the source as you had emptied yourself."

Tired already she helped him down where he immediately fell asleep again.

Days went by. The bruises healed, his legs got stronger, the pain vanished. He didn't sleep that much during the day anymore, besides a nap now and then. The Lady of the Forest walked with him almost every morning.

One day she said; "We blocked the most vivid part of your memory."

He looked surprised. "What else?"

She grabbed his hand.

"Together with your memory, we cut you off of deep feelings."

He started to understand why he was so carefree.

"There's more?"

"There is", she said, "we've suppressed your magic."

They walked on through the trees to a little stream. Merlin sat on the shore and put his feet in the refreshing water. Fishes started to nibble on his toes. A little robin landed on his shoulder producing the most enchanting tremolo's.

"You gave me a vacation of me?"

She chuckled.

"We have started to deblock it all in small doses. That's why you've got your humour back."

He smiled at her and realised he could feel his smile again, somewhere inside of him.

"You needed a break. Although you are immortal, your energy is not. You are giving too much. It's time you start receiving."

"Food for thought", Merlin replied, "and lesson learned."

Day by day little pieces of memory dripped back, he started to feel, to deeply feel again. His energy came back as soon as his magic did. He hadn't realised how empty he was without it, an essential part of him. After a while, he felt a part of him wanted to stay here forever. Another part missed Arthur, his children, his friends, his mother, even his cat.

The Lady of the Forest had said goodbye.

"You can always come back in a time of need. Even magicians need their time off."

He had wondered the last days how he would go back to his life.

"You will know when the time is right", she had promised him.

He reached out for Kilgharrah.

_Merlin!_

How do I get back?

 _You would have if you wanted too_.

Merlin felt guilty. Didn't he want to go home? He surely missed it, but not enough to go back.

One night when he lay thinking on the moss under a soft linen sheet, his father sat with him.

"Hi, Merlin."

He exclaimed; "Dad! How did you find me?"

"You could have called for me, you know? But I will always know how and where you are."

"Can't you bring me home?"

"You know better."

Merlin shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I have to want it."

Balionor hummed agreeing.

"Choose it, son, choose it. Make it happen because you want it so badly."

Later that night they wandered through the forest. One of the many full moons lighted the stream with a silvery shine.

"What if I don't want to return?"

He put his hand over his mouth. In shock, of saying it aloud. Tears escaped his eyes. Balinor held him. They were in the magical world after all. It was such a comfort to his body to feel his father's arms.

"It's ok to have that thought, it's ok."

He shook his head.

"No. It's not."

He sobbed and buried his head in his dad's lap. Balinor stroke with his hand through his son's hair.

"Don't fight it. Chew on it. Or sleep on it if you want. Don't expect an answer. Just stay in the question."

Merlin relaxed bit by bit. It was ok. He was allowed to his deepest what-ifs. For the first time in his life, he fell asleep in his father's arms. It feels like home, he thought before he drifted off.

He woke laying on his bed of moss again, comfortable under a blanket, with a thought circling around and around in his head. He opened his eyes to the ceiling of the living tree who sheltered him all this time.

"What if I don't want to live forever?"

"Then don't", the tree answered.

The leaves giggled.

"How?"

"If you exhaust yourself a few more times, you're getting close."

The branches held their breath at such a bluntness.

The trunk rustled; "No magic means no life."

The tree fell silent again.

He knew it was right. Without his magic, he couldn't live. He had never given it much thought but he could be mortal if he wanted to. When he would just give up his magic, let it be harvested by someone, he would die soon enough. Not that he knew of anyone capable of taking his powers, but it was the thought that counted. Just the idea made him at ease with his immortality. There was always a choice. He would tell others, Arthur, how lonely he was, even in his relationship.

The bravest word he had to learn would be 'help'.

His mind put to rest now made him sleep so peaceful. He woke with a smile on his face because of the dream he'd had. A blond man with blue eyes played a huge part in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go in this part 2 of the Trilogy of Ealdor Manor. One more chapter to get Merlin back home.


	16. New beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The universe greeted him. Earth reached out to him by its animals. He walked with bare feet over the grass to the deer. With every step, flowers sprouted behind him and colourfull butterflies appeared. Never felt he more rooted.

Arthur woke just before dawn.

Yawning, feeling restless.

In the windowsill stood the black shadow of their cat, looking at him. Moonbeams illuminated his room in ashen light.

He tossed and turned for a while. Pale dust sparkled in the moonlight and slowly changed into gold. Was he dreaming?

He somehow dozed off again.

When the sun was waking him in pure gold, his heart was aching, he yearned for his love and turned around.

The house was still silent.

He put his arm around Merlin.

They both opened their eyes at the same time and screamed for shock and joy and utter disbelief.

"Merlin!"

"Arthur!"

They couldn't stop kissing and holding and looking at each other.

"You're back."

Saying their names over and over again. Till the twins walked in and jumped on the bed discovering their long lost dad.

On a bedstand, as a confirmation of hope and new beginnings, stood the blueish-white dragon egg.

Merlin wasn't eager to meet all the others at once. They slowly got up and when he suggested breakfast, Arthur baked pancakes. The twins woke Hunith who couldn't stop looking at her son.

"You are back", she kept saying. Stroking his arm as if to make sure he was real. When she brought the twins to Leon for schooling, the three of them kept looking back and waving to Merlin. She would inform his friends he was back and to stay away from him, for the time being.

He showered and dressed while Arthur cleaned up, smiling only all of the time.

When he walked outside later with coffee and a cigarillo a large group of deer was waiting for him. A pair of wolves laid peacefully at the little pond in the sun. Their young tumbling over each other. A group of buzzards flew above the grass. Families of rabbits were eating at his feet. Little birds landed singing on his hair, his shoulders.

The universe greeted him. Earth reached out to him by its animals.

He walked with bare feet over the grass to the deer. With every step, flowers sprouted behind him and colourful butterflies appeared. Never felt he more rooted.

Arthur gasped standing in the open doors of the kitchen, touched by the view.

_It's all about balance, isn't it?_

He couldn't agree more. "And keeping it balanced", he answered the deer.

 _Our group is flourishing, with young and stags. Earth and I, have been waiting for you_.

He bowed to her and kissed her soft nose.

_Keep looking for the right balance, between giving and taking but also who to love and who not to love._

Slowly he nodded and her herd left, magnificent in the sunlight.

When he sat on the ridge of the terrace, even the wolves came by.

Their eyes as gold as his.

 _We run with you when needed_.

Thanking them, caressing their soft new fur, he had a vision in black and white, running with the wolves as the leader of their pack. As in his recurring dreams.

When all the animals were gone, he felt two hands on his shoulder. Arthur came sitting next to him, their bodies close. "You seem to amaze me every time", he said.

Merlin leaned into him and they just sat.

The sun rose above the Manor, reflecting on the dew. After a while, they took comfortable seats and placed them close to the kitchen doors and enjoyed a fresh coffee, a cold pancake, each other's company. They held hands, caressed, looked at each other, enjoyed the view. Arthur waited. He didn't mind if they sat here together till the end of times, looking at him. Merlin had changed. Still skinny, long-legged with broad shoulders. Still agile but less clumsy, with a new elegance in his movements. A kind of matureness showed in his eyes, almost wise.

"I uh...." Merlin's hands tangled his hair absentminded, glancing at the clear blue sky.

"I didn't want to come back."

There.

He said it.

No secret burdens anymore.

Arthur widened only his eyes trying to withhold any reaction.

The wind whispered through the fresh green leaves, breaking the rays of the sun in golden sparkles.

"I wanted so much to stay there. Peacefully. Floating alone in the void."

Arthur held his breath until Merlin's eyes drifted back into his direction.

"What changed your mind?"

The sun came in from the corner of their house and made Arthur's hair glow like gold. Unworldy blue eyes looking into his.

"You."

Arthur smiled. "I'm glad. I would have dragged you out of there anyway."

"I know."

They locked eyes for a long time. He ignored the voice of Kilgharrah. Ignored the pull of the egg, reaching out to him. Switched off his mobile. He just sat in the sun, enjoying being close to Arthur again.

Eventually, Arthur asked; "What do you want to do?"

"Nothing."

"Good. That's good."

So they did.

Nothing.

And it was all to them for that day.

That night Hunith prepared dinner for them. Crispy chicken wings, fresh green beans and french fries with her homemade mayonnaise. Merlin's childhood favourite. Rain tickled on the roof, the fire crackled.

"This is what I came back for", Merlin said while making coffee for them and tea for the twins. "You, my family, just us, having dinner. No haste, no worries."

"I'll remind you of that", Hunith smiled, "as soon as life is absorbing you again."

"We'll keep you at bay", Arthur said.

"The bravest thing I might do is ask for help."

"I hear you." Arthur raised and held him.

"I can't do it alone anymore."

"We'll do it together. I promise."

Hunith and Arthur sat with him.

The twins crawled in his lap for their bedtime story. With his dreamy voice, he told them all about his stay in the magical world. Even Arthur and Hunith didn't miss a word.

"Can we go there someday?"

Merlin looked into the eyes of his daughter. "I honestly don't know dear", he responded, "but it would be fun, wouldn't it?"

Later that night, in bed, Merlin waved with his hands and slowly their bedroom changed into the moss bed in the old tree. Sounds and scents made Arthur gaze wonderingly. In awe, he kissed Merlin soft and tenderly, caressing his whole body with his lips. Merlin just laid back with his eyes closed. He felt he surrendered to love, to his lover, for the first time in this life. Loved for who he was, not for what he did. His magic wrapped them both in sparkling gold and light. It tingled on their skin. Arthur travelled with his mouth over every spot. Aroused and dripping he entered Merlin's ass and came with only a few slow pushes. Finally, he took all of his shaft in his mouth, wet and slippery, warm and tender, until Merlin came in long waves, shivering for joy. With a little wave of his hand, he cleaned them both, without feeling guilty about it and they spooned under the duvet, caressing till both of them relaxed and they fell in a dreamless sleep.

Next morning, the dragon woke him.

_My dear warlock. You need to hatch the egg now, lead the dragon into life._

Merlin agreed.

"I am going to hatch the egg today", he whispered in Arthur's neck.

Arthur turned around. "Can I be there?"

"Yes. Of course."

He texted his friends to meet them outside.

Carefully he took the shining egg in his arms and walked towards the Manor. He placed the egg on a stump.

One by one his friends arrived. It took a long time with a lot of hugging, crying, cheering and laughter. Gwaine and Parcival arrived last, driving with a van on the grass.

They almost broke his bones hugging Merlin. To mask their tears they started to unload their car with seats, blankets and, of course, food and drinks for everyone.

With everyone seated, Merlin stood in their midst and enjoyed the view of his extended family. From a distance, the druids were present.

"It's good to be back", he started, "it is. There is a lot more to say to it and I will later on. But what I do want to say now is, that I love you all."

Everyone looked at him. He seemed to glow from the inside. The expression in his eyes was loving, caring, revealing a new albeit old wisdom.

His smile is the same, Arthur thought, yet more sincere somehow.

"I know life will always keep challenging me, no matter what destiny I choose. But I brought back the dragon's egg. It's time to hatch it and start a new era of peace." He summoned Kilgharrah who landed close to the stump with the egg.

The dragon bowed his head to Merlin.

 _I_ _owe you._

"And I owe you", Gwen said and walked to the dragon.

With tears on her cheeks, she put her hands on his head and kissed him on his nose.

He was lucky dragons couldn't blush.

_Shall we start?_

"How?"

 _You have to summon him. Only dragonlords have the power to that._ _Find his name_ _and call him._

Merlin closed his eyes and released his magic in a golden whirlwind around him.

Even nature held his breath.

He looked inside.

With his mighty voice, he roared; "Aithusa."

The egg started to crack.

Slowly a small white dragon became visible.

_A white dragon is indeed a rare thing. And fitting. For you named him after the light of the sun. A herald for a time of peace for you and Arthur and your family of friends, eventually._

Merlin couldn't take his eyes off the birth of the baby dragon.

His feelings were ineffable.

Tears streaming down his cheeks.

He fell on his knees.

The little beast came free and squeaked. It flapped its wings till they were dry.

With his head tilted he bowed to Merlin who took him in his arms. As a proud parent, he showed his newborn to Arthur and the kids. Each and everyone oohed and aahed.

Finally, he handed him over to Kilgharrah who would take care of him in the first weeks.

_I will bring him back to you as soon as he can fly._

He took wings to the sun, carrying Aithusa as a white spot on his black skin.

A small harbinger of light in darker times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of part 2. Thank you for reading.   
> Part 3 of the Ealdor Manor trilogy is in progress.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading Part 2 of Ealdor Manor.  
> 


End file.
